How to Cure Hiccups by Holding Your Breath

Medically reviewed by Jennifer Boidy, RN

Last Updated: February 21, 2023 References

Everyone gets the hiccups sometimes. Chances are, if you’ve had the hiccups, you’ve had someone recommend a funny cure. Sometimes these “cures” are more annoying than waiting for the hiccups to go away. Holding your breath is one of the most common ways people try to cure hiccups, and also one of the simplest.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Drinking While Holding Your Breath

1
Pour yourself a glass of water. The water should be room temperature—not hot or cold. Make sure the glass is full and can hold 12 to 16 ounces of water.
- You can choose to drink something other than water. However, you'll be drinking a lot, so if you choose juice or milk, you may become very full.
- Avoid carbonated beverages, as they can trigger hiccups.
2
Take a deep breath. Now hold it. Avoid breathing in or out for as long as you can. People are able to hold their breath for different amount of time. Aim for at least 10 seconds.
- Count in your head or watch a clock with a second hand to pass the time.
- Make sure you're not accidentally breathing in and out through your nose.
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3
Drink the water very slowly. Without breathing, start to pour the water into your mouth. You should be able to swallow about 10 gulps of water without breathing or hiccuping.
- If you spill some water, it's okay. Simply keep drinking without breathing in or out.
4
Finish holding your breath. Once you’ve drank the entire cup of water, continue to hold your breath. When you can no longer hold your breath, you can exhale and again breathe normally.
- It may take you several seconds to catch your breath. This is perfectly normal.
5
Check to see if the cure worked. Wait 30 seconds to see if another hiccup comes. If it doesn’t, you’ve cured your hiccups! If the cure didn’t work, you can repeat as necessary.
- No hiccup cure has been scientifically proven to always work. So don't get discouraged if your hiccups are still there.^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Breathing Into a Paper Bag

1
Find a paper bag. Use a lunch-bag sized bag. Paper grocery bags will be too big. The bag should be clean, since you'll be breathing in and out of it.
2
Take a deep breath. Breathe down into your belly, so that you fill up your lungs. Once you've taken the biggest breath possible, close your mouth.^{[2]
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- When you take a very deep breath, your stomach will likely expand. This is normal.
- Make sure you don't accidentally breathe in or out through your mouth while you try to hold your breath.
3
Exhale into the bag. Place your mouth inside the paper bag. Hold the paper bag up to your face. Breathe all of the air into the paper bag, so that it blows up like a balloon.^{[3]
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- Don’t put the paper bag over your head.
- Blowing into the paper bag may raise the levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in your blood. This inhibits the spasms that cause hiccups.
4
Inhale again. Breathe the air back in from the paper bag. Fill up your lungs with air. The bag will crumple and empty.
- When you’ve breathed in as much as you can, hold your breath for a few seconds.
5
Exhale. Breathe the air back into the paper bag. The bag will blow up again. Try to fill the bag completely with air.
6
Check to see if your hiccups are gone. Wait 30 seconds to see if another hiccup comes. If it doesn’t, you’ve cured your hiccups! If the cure didn’t work, you can repeat as necessary.
- If another hiccup comes, you can begin the process again immediately. You don't need to wait 30 seconds.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Holding Your Breath Repeatedly

1
Take a deep breath. Fill up your lungs with air. Close your mouth and keep the air inside your lungs.
- Even with your mouth closed, make sure you’re not breathing in and out through your nose.
- Feel your stomach with your hands. You should feel it expand like a balloon as you breathe in.
2
Hold your breath. Count the number of seconds that you hold your breath for. Aim for holding your breath longer than is comfortable, but not so long that it’s unsafe. Most people should be able to hold their breath for at least 10 seconds.
- If you can't hold your breath for 10 seconds, simply hold it as long as you can.
- If your face changes color or you start to feel dizzy, let your breath go.
3
Breathe out. Exhale all of the air out of your lungs. Resume breathing normally. Don’t attempt to continue holding your breath.
- If you hold your breath too long and too frequently, you can make yourself lightheaded.
- Make sure your breathing has returned to normal before you hold your breath again.
4
Wait 20 minutes. While you wait, you can do any regular activities. Set a timer so that you don’t forget how long you’ve been waiting. Meanwhile, try to take your mind off the hiccups.
- You can watch TV, go for a drive, or chat with a friend to help distract yourself from your hiccups.
5
Repeat the process. Take another deep breath, and go through the same process. By now, your hiccups may have gone away. However, you can still repeat the process if you think your hiccups may come back.^{[4]
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- If your hiccups won't go away after an hour, try another method. If you get hiccups frequently, you may want to see a doctor.^{[5]
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Warnings

Never hold your breath too long. If your face begins to change color, or you become dizzy, stop.

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If hiccups last for more than two days or are interfering with eating, breathing or sleeping, contact your doctor. There are medications that may help alleviate hiccups.

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If your hiccups are accompanied by stomach pain, fever, shortness of breath, vomiting, or coughing up blood, call your doctor immediately.^{[8]
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