What causes hiccups? There is no unambiguous answer to this question even among doctors. They assume that this is a reflex that has remained with us since prehistoric times. Perhaps our ancestors hiccups were useful. Now it does not make any sense. The mechanism for the appearance of hiccups is this. Between the thorax and the abdominal cavity is located the diaphragm. Managing it, we breathe, expanding the volume of the lungs. But if the diaphragm begins to convulsively and uncontrollably shrink by itself, we have hiccups. At the same time, we do not have time to open the voice gap and let in the oxygen. It turns out a short convulsive breath without air.
How to get rid of hiccups in adults?
In order to understand how to get rid of hiccups, you need to understand what provokes it.
- Overeating. A large amount of food, especially in the dry and in a hurry, can make you suffer from hiccups for a very long time. If you often hiccups, refuse to snack on the run. Eat a little, but often. Be sure to drink a glass of water before eating
- Carbonated drinks. Doctors do not recommend drinking a lot of soda or mineral water. Bubbles of gas irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach. Hence - heartburn, irritation, heaviness in the stomach. It turns out that choosing the right beverages helps to get rid of the hiccups of
- Frequent swallowing. For example, when you are hungry and look at food. This causes excessive salivation, you swallow, and then start and hiccup. The same happens when the mucous membrane is dried in the mouth. For example, when you are out of breath
How to get rid of prolonged hiccups? How to get rid of alcoholic hiccups?
There are several ways to get rid of hiccups. Their effectiveness does not depend on why you started to suffer from it: overeat, drank too much alcohol or just out of breath. Some ways look rather comical. And not all of them operate in 100% of cases. Try them and choose the one that suits you.
- The position of the lion. Method from the arsenal of yoga. This exercise is considered effective not only with hiccups, but also as a cleansing practice. It helps to get rid of toxins( accumulated, including in the form of gas).Sit with your back straight. Take a deep breath. On exhalation sharply stick out the tongue as far as possible and bulge your eyes. Hold in this position without breathing, as much as possible. If necessary, repeat
- Breathing delay. Take a deep breath and freeze for a few seconds. If the first time did not work, repeat the cycle
- Hands to the stomach. If you press your hands tight, we can act on the diaphragm. Some of this is enough to cause the hiccup to stop.
- A cold, sweet drink. To increase the efficiency, you can throw a glass of ice cubes. Drink in small sips, making them as often as possible
- Lemon, or something sour. Take a slice of sour citrus in your mouth and suck until it retains a taste. If the fruit is sour enough, then one lobule is enough
- A piece of ice. You can dissolve the ice cube until the hiccup passes
- Sugar. In America, it is customary to take a teaspoon of sugar and eat it at once, without washing down
- Vinegar. Of course, you do not need to take it inside. It's enough just to smell it. Sour odor will help remove the hiccup
- Paper bag. This method is based on the fact that a high concentration of carbon dioxide can affect the operation of the diaphragm. Therefore, you need to take a paper bag and breathe into it. Gradually you will spend all the oxygen that was there. The concentration of carbon dioxide will rise, and the diaphragm will start working correctly.
- Ear massage. The ear is an area where there are a lot of reflex points. Perhaps the impact on any of them will cause the hiccup to leave
How to get rid of hiccups in a child? How to get rid of hiccups in infants?
One of the specific hiccups is hiccups in newborns. As a rule, for a mother it becomes a real tragedy. Hiccups means it's frozen. This is really possible. But in very rare cases.
- Much more often the baby hiccups just because he is hot, his mouth is parched, he often swallows and begins to hiccup. A long cry or crying of a baby is also capable of provoking hiccups.
- Another common cause is overeating. The kid can not control the sense of satiety, and often eats more than he needs. If the crumb has already left the newborn age( the first 28 days of life), then you should not feed it more often than once every two hours. Having found out the signs of dehydration( dry lips, hot dry and inelastic skin), do not be afraid to finish it with water.
- By the way, untimely release of the intestine can also cause hiccups. The inflated tummy presses against the diaphragm, causing this reflex
- What is effective for adults helps children. For example, the lion position described above. But the baby can not stick his tongue out by himself. In this case, you can take the crumb over the tip of the tongue and lightly pull it. Hold it as long as the kid will let you. Usually one minute is enough
How to get rid of hiccups folk methods?
Official medicine lays down arms, stating that it does not know how to get rid of hiccups. Therefore, healers, plots, and folk remedies effectively help solve this problem. Of course, their effectiveness directly depends on how much the person is inspired.
If a person is very distracted, then the hiccup will pass by itself. This is what folk medicine is doing. Witches read conspiracies, involve you in rituals, are forced to perform rituals - in general, distract. And you willy-nilly forget about the disease. On the same basis, the conviction is based that if someone hiccups, one must strongly scare him.
So they say in our country. Other nations have other rituals: to knock the hiccup on the head, unexpectedly bury his eyes and shout loudly, suddenly pour something on his head.
In general, to distract. If one of your loved ones is hiccuping, try an alternative method: give flowers, invite to the cinema, admire the beautiful sunset. If a person is very distracted, the effect will be achieved.
How to get rid of hiccups medically?
We usually cope with hiccups at home. But there are situations that go out of the way. When should you seek medical help?
- if the hiccup does not pass 3 hours or more
- if it is accompanied by a sharp abdominal pain
Hiccough itself is not a disease but a symptom. Therefore, you can not get rid of it medically. It can be a sign of a stomach ulcer or cirrhosis of the liver. But in this case, your doctor will choose the medicine for these diseases.
- Most often doctors use for treatment hiccups of antispasmodics, because uncontrolled contraction of the diaphragm is just a spasm. They lower its excessive excitability
- Other drugs suppress the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and accelerate its emptying. This removes excessive pressure on the diaphragm. A specific combination of drugs can be prescribed only by the doctor
- However, in most cases, medical intervention is not required. It is enough to adjust your lifestyle and diet. And the hiccup will go by itself
Video: Hiccups and itching - Emergency - Dr. Komarovsky