How to Get Rid of Hiccups

Co-authored by Amy Chapman, MA and Aly Rusciano

Hic! Hiccups are so Hic! annoying! We totally agree, and what if we told you there could be a way to stop them? Now, there’s no proven cure for hiccups, but many hiccupers swear by home remedies for relief. In this article, we’ll share the best tips and tricks to stop those hiccups, from breathing techniques to what to drink—you’ll be “cured” before you can even say “hiccup”!

Things You Should Know

Try breathing techniques to stop hiccups, like holding your breath for 10 seconds and plugging your nose while exhaling.
Swallow a spoonful of sugar or bite a lemon to distract yourself or eat some spicy foods like chips and salsa, which may ease hiccuping.
Avoid fizzy drinks, alcohol, and bitter foods to stop hiccups before they start.

Section 1 of 4:

How to Stop Hiccups

1
Hold your breath for 10 seconds. Take a deep breath and count to 10 while holding your breath, then exhale slowly. Repeat this 3 to 4 times or every 20 minutes you’re hiccuping, continuing to hold for 10 seconds after each inhale.^{[1]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
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- This simple trick calms the nerves in the back of your throat that trigger hiccuping.
2
Breathe into a paper bag for 10 breaths. Hold the paper bag in front of your mouth, with the sides against your cheeks. Then, slowly inhale and exhale into the bag, so it inflates and deflates.^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source
American Cancer Society
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Go to source} This trick often works because it increases the carbon dioxide in your blood, which can help your body relax.^{[3]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
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- Avoid putting the paper bag over your head.
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3
Gently pull on your tongue as you exhale. Slowly inhale to fill your lungs with air. As you exhale, stick out your tongue. Then, use your fingers to gently pull your tongue forward. This could trigger a pressure point at the back of your throat to help you stop hiccuping.^{[4]
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Cleveland Clinic
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- Repeat this technique up to 3 times. After that, take a break before trying again to rest your tongue.
- Stop pulling on your tongue if it hurts or causes any discomfort.
4
Pinch your nose as you exhale. Take a deep breath and inhale slowly. Plug your nose, close your mouth, and hold your breath. Then, gently breathe out as though you were filling up a balloon. This can trigger your diaphragm and muscles to think you’re breathing. Finally, open your mouth and exhale slowly.^{[5]
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- Repeat this technique 3 to 5 times and then take a break before trying again (otherwise, you may feel lightheaded).
- This technique is often called the Valsalva maneuver.
5
Sip a glass of ice cold water through a straw. Fill a glass with cold water, then slowly drink it with a straw until it’s gone. As you drink, try to hold your breath. The chill of the water can shock your diaphragm nerves enough that you stop hiccuping.^{[6]
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Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
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- This technique works best if your water is ice cold rather than just chilled, so try tossing in a few ice cubes.
- If you don’t have a straw, drink the water from the glass, taking small sips.
6
Drink upside down or from the far side of your glass. Add water to a glass until it’s half full. Lie upside down off a bed or couch and carefully drink the water. If this is too difficult, try sitting upright, leaning over the glass, and placing your lips on the farthest side of the rim. Stop drinking every few sips to see if your hiccups have gone away. This technique distracts you and coats the nerves at the back of your throat.^{[7]
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- If drinking in these positions is uncomfortable, consider bending over upside down under a tap and drinking that way.
- Be careful not to accidentally breathe in the water or pour it into your nose.
7
Suck on a spoonful of sugar. Take a spoon and fill it with white or brown sugar. Then, hold the spoon in your mouth for 5 to 10 seconds. Finally, swallow the sugar and take a big sip of water. The sugar granules help you focus on something other than your hiccups and scratch your throat.^{[8]
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- If this doesn't work right away, switch to a different technique. Swallowing multiple spoonfuls of sugar might spike your energy levels, quickening your breaths, and causing you to hiccup more.
8
Bite or suck on a lemon wedge. Place a lemon wedge in your mouth. Then, either bite into the wedge and drink the juice or suck on the wedge to get the juice. The sudden sour taste of the lemon can cause a similar startling reaction as someone scaring you.^{[9]
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- If the taste is too much for you, try adding a little sugar to the lemon wedge or using 4 to 5 drops of Angostura Bitters.
9
Sip on pickle juice. Vinegar can help cure hiccups but can have an unpleasant taste. Since pickle juice contains vinegar, drink it instead for the same benefits. Take a few sips of pickle juice or put a few drops on your tongue. Repeat until your hiccups are gone.^{[10]
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- If you hate the taste of pickle juice, try putting a few drops of vinegar directly on your tongue to try a different taste.
10
Lie on your back, pull your knees into your chest, and lean forward. Lay down on a bed or couch, hug your knees into your chest, and lean forward in a crunching motion. Grasp your knees, and squeeze them against your chest for up to 2 minutes. This compresses your chest and may help push out the gas causing your hiccups.^{[11]
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Cancer Research UK
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- Repeat this motion 2 to 3 times if your hiccups don’t go away.
11
Bend forward in a chair while hugging your knees. Sit in a straight-backed chair with your back fully pressed into the chair and your knees tucked into your chest. Slowly bend over into a tucked position, wrapping your arms around your legs. Squeeze your arms to press your knees into your chest. Hold for up to 2 minutes before releasing.^{[12]
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Trustworthy Source
Cancer Research UK
U.K.-based cancer research and advocacy charity
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- Repeat the movement 2 to 3 times to relieve your hiccups.
12
Ask a friend to tickle you if you’re ticklish. Although the tickling itself doesn’t cure hiccups, the sensation can distract you from them. Plus, laughter can alter your breathing, which can also help. Ask your friend to tickle you for at least 30 seconds.^{[13]
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- If the first 30 seconds don’t work, ask your friend to try again (as long as you’re comfortable).
- Consider asking your friend to scare you too, as this is a common way to “startle” away hiccups.^{[14]
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13
Lean forward as you exhale to compress your chest. Stand or sit in a straight-back chair. Breathe in deeply, then slowly lean forward as you exhale. Stay in this position for up to 2 minutes. Although this isn’t scientifically proven, it can put pressure on the diaphragm and muscles surrounding it, which might help your hiccups stop.
- If your hiccups don’t stop, try 2 to 3 more times.
14
Inhale for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts. Slowly inhale, counting to 5 as your lungs fill with air. Then, hold your breath for a 5 count before exhaling to a count of 5. This method isn’t scientifically proven, but repeating it up to 5 times could help relax your body and relieve your hiccups.
- If you still have hiccups after 5 breaths, rest for about 20 minutes before trying again so you don’t get light headed.

Section 2 of 4:

What causes hiccups?

Hiccups are a common reflex to emotional or environmental changes. Hiccups are ultimately a reflex of the phrenic nerve, which leads from the brain to the diaphragm. When this nerve is tickled, it can cause your body to involuntarily hiccup to try and soothe the itch. A range of factors can cause this reaction, and everybody will react differently to certain triggers.^{[15]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source} The most common causes of hiccups are:
- Stress
- Excitement
- Excessive laughter
- Sudden changes in temperature
- Eating and drinking too quickly

Section 3 of 4:

Do you need to see a doctor about your hiccups?

Talk to a doctor if your hiccuping affects your daily life. Constant or chronic hiccuping could interfere with your ability to eat, drink, and sleep. If you cannot stop hiccuping for long periods or continue hiccuping for 48 hours, contact your doctor. Most hiccups go away on their own within a few hours, but sometimes an underlying condition can cause you to hiccup consistently.^{[16]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
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- Ask your doctor if a prescription medication is right for you. Muscle relaxants can be used to ease severe symptoms.

Section 4 of 4:

How to Prevent Hiccups

1
Avoid eating too quickly. Hiccups can be triggered by eating quickly as you swallow more air. To avoid this, eat slowly and carefully chew your food with your mouth closed. This won’t necessarily make you immune to getting hiccups, but it can stop you from getting them.^{[17]
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- Try setting your fork down between bites to help yourself slow down.
- Count the number of times you chew to remind yourself to eat slowly.
2
Don't eat large quantities all at once. Big meals can trigger hiccups as large amounts of food in one sitting can put pressure on the phrenic nerve (the nerve that controls your diaphragm and hiccup response). Control your portion sizes to help prevent hiccups, and space out your meals, so you don’t get too full.
- For instance, you might eat 3 to 5 small meals every 2 to 3 hours rather than 2 to 3 every 4 to 5 hours.
3
Stay away from carbonated beverages. Although fizzy drinks taste good, they can cause excess gas to build up in your stomach. These gases can cause you to hiccup, especially if you drink them quickly. Try cutting out carbonated drinks to keep yourself from hiccuping.^{[18]
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- As a general rule, if a drink has bubbles in it, consider drinking something else.
- This includes alcohol, which can irritate the throat and stomach, so consider opting for juice or water instead.^{[19]
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4
Avoid chewing gum. When you chew gum, it’s normal to swallow a little gas with each chew. Unfortunately, this is a common trigger for hiccups. Consider skipping the gum and sucking on mints or hard candies instead.
5
Don't eat spicy foods. Although delicious, spicy foods can cause acid reflux, which can induce hiccups. Acid reflux irritates the phrenic nerve that controls your diaphragm. If this nerve is tickled, hiccups can start until it’s relieved. Opt for less spicy foods or consider taking an acid reflux medication before your next spicy meal.