How do I stop hiccups?

Traditional methods to stop hiccups

The best-known method is to drink water. However, to work, the following steps must be followed: - Drink a large quantity of fresh water (several glasses), - Drink a large glass of water (about ten sips) without taking a breath, - You can also try drinking with your head upside down, taking care not to suffocate as the water passes through your nose.

Holding your breath is another way of acting on the direct cause of hiccups. Simply hold your breath for as long as possible. Another breathing exercise directly addresses the organ that causes hiccups: the diaphragm. When the diaphragm goes into spasm, it produces the characteristic sound. Simply compress it by lying on your back and bending your knees to your chest, or massage the phrenic nerve concerned, located at the intersection of the sternum and clavicle. Hiccups can also disappear with a simple massage of the back, where they occur.

After lying down, energetically massage your shoulder blades. The palm of your hand can also be used to relieve hiccups: just press down hard with your thumb. If these methods don't work every time, you can try them out if others fail. Some people find their hiccups stop when they gently pull their tongue out as far as it will go, sometimes grasping it with their (clean) hands.

Others achieve this by pulling for a few seconds on their lobes, plugging their ears or pressing their eyes together for around twenty seconds. If the hiccups persist, you can also use a bag in which you breathe in and out about twenty times, then inhale deeply and finally hold your breath for ten seconds. Breathing in the fumes of pure alcohol, for example poured onto a soaked handkerchief, is also effective.

Essential oils, an effective hiccup remedy

If these classic methods don't work, a powerful remedy is a synergy of essential oils. Simply diffuse the following essential oils into the atmosphere:

• Tarragon essential oil (10 drops)
• Cardamom essential oil (10 drops)
• True Lavender essential oil (10 drops)

Tarragon acts directly on diaphragm spasms, thanks to the action of methylchavicol, present at 65 to 86% in its essential oil.

Cardamom, on the other hand, acts on another level, calming the anxiety associated with persistent hiccups. Thanks to the monoterpene esters contained in this oil, you'll relax instantly and reduce one of the most common causes of hiccups: stress.

Finally, True Lavender also has relaxing properties thanks to linalool, a monoterpene alcohol, whose sedative and anxiolytic properties rebalance your mood and improve blood circulation.

Stopping hiccups can therefore be achieved with these simple but effective methods. If these fail, there are other, less pleasant methods. For example, you can crunch peppercorns, place an ice cube on your stomach, or add vinegar to the sugar you let melt on your tongue...