By Triston Wong
(Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya on Unsplash)
Author’s Introduction
Hiccups (or hiccoughs) are the prime example of an uncommon yet extremely mundane event that a human can endure in their lifetime. Although hiccups have been around for as long as humans have existed, hiccups are forgettable (when’s the last time you’ve hiccuped?) (Hiccups: Causes & treatment). I—a human who has hiccuped before—would argue that hiccups are not just forgettable, but vile. Beyond being mildly humorous from their spontaneous eruption of gas, hiccups ultimately give an unsatisfactory experience that leaves nothing to be desired.
These are the thoughts that loomed over me when conducting research on this topic. Despite the lack of a definitive understanding of the solutions behind hiccups, some general conclusions and patterns have been made. Antidotes have passed from generation to generation, ridding us of these dastard curses.
This information is a culmination of cures collected from a series of scientific journals and short stories. Some treatments will work more effectively than others. Some may not be effective at all. The topics addressed today specifically address chronic, transient hiccups. So please, do not use this content as medical advice—refer to your qualified clinician or general practitioner.
A Brief Overview
Harvard Health Publishing describes hiccups simply: “as if you're taking a big breath of air much faster than normal (2020)”. This can be split into two separate actions: the ‘feeling’ you get in your chest during the hiccup and the sound that is produced afterward. The action is an involuntary reflex between your diaphragm and the intercostal muscles in your ribs. During the hiccup, your diaphragm spasms and begins to contract and pull down, causing air to be forcefully inhaled into the body. This results in the closure of your vocal cords. When the space at the back of the throat fully shuts, it produces the distinctive hic sound everybody loves.
There is no definitive cause of why this occurs and how it erupts periodically. Still, there has been a common consensus gathered amongst experts—the hiccup reflex is part of the neuronal track between the phrenic and vagus nerves. Both nerves are located below the thorax and in the diaphragm. The phrenic nerve acts as a motor, sending signals from the brain to the diaphragm while the vagus nerve acts as its parasympathetic system, or its “rest and digest” reaction when the body needs to calm down (Nerves of the thorax: Acland's video atlas of human anatomy). The stimulation of the vagus nerves sends a signal to the medulla oblongata, or the area within the lower brain that assists in breathing, which completes the feedback loop through the phrenic system. This is the best proven theory on why you hiccup.
The causation of hiccups all connect to the flaring of the vagus nerve in the diaphragm. Any jumps or attacks that affect the throat can cause hiccups. The most common triggers include eating or drinking too much, chewing gum, and smoking. Beyond these, a sudden change in temperature and being prone to excitement or emotional stress are other factors that may cause hiccups (Mayo Foundation, 2023).
Definitive Cures to Hiccups
Interestingly, it isn’t uncommon to begin hiccuping before you are out of the womb. Some researchers propose that it came from a digestive reflex that guards the uterus from inhaling the mother’s amniotic fluid, while others believe it is a training mechanism for the respiratory system. There has even been evidence that hiccups date back to amphibian ancestors (Straus et al., 2003). These theories, along with a variety of cures, have been hypothesized hundreds of years ago. A common phrase used in 16th-century England was, “It is good to cast colde water in the face of him that hath the hicket. (2020)”
Unfortunately, there is no be-all, end-all solution to hiccoughs; many solutions spread from word-of-mouth that come with ranging amounts of success. What definitively stops hiccups are cures that create a stimulus that interrupts the hiccup reflex.
One common technique that one can efficiently perform is supra-supramaximal inspiration, which increases the carbon dioxide levels in your blood, thereby decreasing one’s hiccups (2020). To perform this maneuver, simply take deep breaths and hold it in 10-second intervals. Then, without exhaling, breathe again and repeat the process. Another, more common method that people do is to hold their breath, which is said to reproduce this effect (Spectrum is not responsible for any harm or damages to bodily health. Discretion is advised). Another tested solution that performs well is taking medications, specifically those that include thorazine, or chlorpromazine, which is used to treat psychotic disorders. Other drugs, such as baclofen and metoclopramide, have also been proven to be effective, though thorazine is the only FDA-approved drug.
(Not so) Definitive Cures to Hiccups
The solutions stated above are all definitive, proven cures to hiccups; however, there is also a plethora of techniques that have also worked amongst individuals with varying degrees of effectiveness. Drinking water in various ways has shown to be effective. Some people drink from the opposite side of a glass, which is believed to excite the nerves at the back of the throat. Others hang upside down while drinking or take sips in specific timed intervals.
There are also one-off techniques that, while suspicious, work for some people. Both the UK’s NHS and Cleveland Clinic have stated that swallowing granulated sugars can help with hiccups, while another belief that pulling your knees close to your chest can slow down the hiccough reflex (NHS, 2023). Marijuana and acupuncture are also effective for selected individuals, with the latter even helping people with intractable hiccups (Zhang et al., 2021). Lastly, some people have found asking themselves arbitrary questions to be an effective hiccup solution. Although this sounds farfetched (because frankly enough, it is), one question that I have used to varying degrees of success is asking out loud: “What is tofu made out of?”
Conclusion
Hiccups are one of the oldest phenomena known to mankind and have been around for as long as humans have existed. Although we have come to understand their occurrence, there is also a lack of definitive evidence on how to stop hiccups. I, myself, have asked a lot of people on their methods with hiccups and have learned the various rituals they conduct to cure themselves. This is an article built on scientific information yet should also be taken with a grain of salt (or a glass of water). Despite this, it is with my greatest sincerity that you may find a solution to the thousand-year-problem that plagues us today.
Hiccups are one of the oldest phenomena known to mankind and have been around for as long as humans have existed. Although we have come to understand their occurrence, there is also a lack of definitive evidence on how to stop hiccups.
References
Harvard Health Publishing. (2020, May 8). Stopping hiccups. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/stopping-hiccups
Hiccups: Causes & treatment. Cleveland Clinic Medical. (n.d.). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17672-hiccups
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2023, March 2). Hiccups. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hiccups/symptoms-causes/syc-20352613#:~:text=Eating%20too%20much.,when%20chewing%20gum%20or%20smoking.
NHS. (2023, June 23). Hiccups. NHS choices. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hiccups/
Nerves of the thorax: Acland’s video atlas of human anatomy. Nerves of the thorax | Acland’s Video Atlas of Human Anatomy. (n.d.). https://aclandanatomy.com/MultimediaPlayer.aspx?multimediaId=10528287#:~:text=The%20phrenic%20is%20the%20motor,and%20pass%20through%20the%20diaphragm.
Straus, C., Vasilakos, K., Wilson, A., Oshima, T., Zelter, M., Derenne, J., Similowski, T., & Whitelaw, W. A. (2003). A phylogenetic hypothesis for the origin of hiccough. BioEssays, 25, 182–188. https://albertorojo.com/BlogsTN/phylogenetic_hiccups.pdf
Zhang, Y., Jiang, X., Wang, Z., He, M., Lv, Z., Yuan, Q., & Qin, W. (2021). Efficacy of acupuncture for persistent and intractable hiccups. Medicine, 100(8). https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000024879
Comments