- SELECTED POSTS
A Problem with Hiccups?
The Best Cure for Hiccups as
seen on Lifehacker and Tipnut
Getting Work Started
Time Management Tip for Procrastinators
Monday Blues?
20 Ways to Beat Monday Blues
March 30th, 2008
The Best Cure for Hiccups
The Secret to Stopping Hiccups Lies in Warm Water
Note: This hiccups remedy applies to normal, short-term hiccups (which usually resolves after a few minutes), not for chronic, persistent, protracted or intractable hiccups. Prolonged hiccups may be a sign of underlying disorders. See a doctor if you suspect you have a problem. This method is untested for infant hiccups and pregnancy hiccups.
When I was younger my mother told me that the only way to cure hiccups or hiccoughs is to drink water. I’ve tried this many, many times with inconsistent results. I’ve also tried many other various methods of stopping hiccups like holding my breath, pulling my ears, pinching my nose, drinking honey and getting tickled (made me feel worse). That was until B told me that the best cure for hiccups does indeed lie in drinking water but not just any water, it has to be warm.
I was a bit skeptical at first that just simply drinking warm water alone can actually help to stop hiccups, too simple it may seem to be, but his reasoning made sense — hiccups are caused by the spasming of the diaphragm (spelled wrongly as diapragm in the illustration, I know), a sheet of muscle located across the bottom the ribcage. And what do you do when a you get a muscle cramp? You apply heat. Does this warm water method really stop hiccups? You bet. It works like a charm every time. The hiccups will resolve in less than a minute (usually about 15 seconds). If it doesn’t, what you’re drinking isn’t warm enough, try something warmer.
The first time I tried it, I was very surprised that it worked so fast. B was more amused that I didn’t know about this method before because he had assumed that everyone else knew it! That was about 6 years ago. For the past 6 years, each time someone else has the hicks, I tell him/her to drink warm water. And each time, they’d be surprised at how effective my method is (my method because I marketed it aggressively. ;) LOL). It then occurred to me that every one else in the world may have never heard of this very simple and effective remedy to hiccups. This must change!
So I now present you, The World, the only tried, tested and confirmed way to stop hiccups that you ever need to know – WARM WATER.
You read it here first — Try it yourself, tell your friends, spread the word.
Some other methods on how to stop hiccups are listed below. You may want to try at your own risk (a.k.a. MYTHS!?)
Other Hiccups Remedy, Tips, Tricks And Techniques
- Cure Hiccups at About.com (Video)
- 12 second Cure for Hiccups at Opiniorama
- 13 Techniques to Cure Hiccups at Howstuffworks.
Thank you for your comments and suggestions, dear readers!
You might also be interested in reading Escalating Hiccup – Stretching and Other Tried and Tested Ways to Stop Hiccups where I try some of your suggested methods to stop hiccups!
Related Posts:
Do tell me if it works for you. Now all you need to do is wait for a hiccup. :) *hic*
Ginger M at 11:58 pm on March 30, 2008
[...] Share your expertise - Do you have a foolproof hangover cure? I’ve actually done this with my Best Cure for Hiccups [...]
100 Ideas for Your Blog | Growing Happiness at 6:22 am on April 7, 2008
This is the first time I'm actually looking forward to have hiccups!
xx fanny
fanny at 6:51 am on April 7, 2008
I have found that my hiccups go away after I eat a spoonful of peanut butter. Strange, but true. :)
Angie at 2:27 pm on April 14, 2008
You sound like an attention seeker that tries to give themself too much credit. "/I/ marketed it aggressively." "...you read it HERE first." Jeez, just share it with everyone because no one's going to remember your name or where they found this information.
...cute drawing, though. :)
Anonymous at 2:41 pm on April 14, 2008
I can't wait to try this. I've had really horrendous hiccups in the past and was thrown out of lessons at school because of it!
Diane at 4:42 pm on April 14, 2008
While warm water does work like a charm, it doesn't work for me every time. I get violent hiccups and I've almost burned my esophagus a few times. So my foolproof solutions is peanut butter and water of any temperature. Take a small teaspoon of peanut butter and swallow(it might feel like its getting stuck but thats what the water is for!) Wash the peanut butter down immediately with a glass of water. Presto! No hiccups. Every single time.
Hiccup hater at 5:42 pm on April 14, 2008
I will give it a try the next time i get the hiccups.
I do have another "Hiccup Hack" and it works everytime:
1.sit on the edge of your seat
2.spread your legs open (no trying to be dirty)
3.lean forward
4.and sip water slowly
It actually helps regulate your breathing and opens the diaphragm
(an old greek lady taught me the trick) Seriously, it works. I will still try the warm water trick.... I mean remedy
chris at 9:32 pm on April 14, 2008
@Angie and Hiccup hater - my family has peanut allergy (i don't) so that there's always a lack of peanut butter at home! but I'd like to try this though ... @Anon - But I was going to patent this method! LOL.. JK! ;) ... @Diane - thrown out of lesson because of a hiccup?! That's nasty! ... @chris - oooh.. I might try that!
Ginger M at 11:19 pm on April 14, 2008
I can't remember the last time i had a hiccup, but I still recommend peanut butter. (maybe its another excuse to have huge lump on a spoon.)
thefish at 3:53 am on April 15, 2008
Yeah, warm water works for me too.
Its easily available, no worries about peanut allergy, and its cheap and most of time free!. So I prefer this method over the peanut butter unless I carry a jar of peanut butter everyday with me.
Never tried the Peanut Butter method though, will tried it someday. Hiks*
Coby at 4:45 am on April 15, 2008
Speaking of peanut butter... I remember a report many years ago advising against eating PB by the spoonfuls....
I can't remember the exact report, but here's an excerpt from Family Education website:
"Never let any child (or adult for that matter) eat peanut butter by the spoonful. Even adults have died from a glob of peanut butter that stuck on their windpipe. Instead, it should be spread in a thin layer on a cracker or small piece of bread that can be easily swallowed."
I wonder if PB on a cracker would work as well?
Ginger M at 5:04 am on April 15, 2008
I found this site via StumbleUpon. Hope you check my blog out.
I never really thought about it like that, but I will try this the next time I have hiccups.
:)
Marion at 6:14 am on April 15, 2008
Actually, Hickups are evolutionary leftovers from when we were amphibians.
Tadpoles use them to survive.
Go figure.
Chris at 9:09 pm on April 15, 2008
@Marion - Inspirational blog, hope you update soon. @Chris - So I've heard and supposedly the cure for this is you need to remind yourself that you're no longer a coelacanth or something. Hmmm...
Ginger M at 5:27 am on April 16, 2008
what works for me EVERY SINGLE TIME is to have someone plug your ears while you drink a glass of water, regardless of the water temp
jason at 7:21 pm on April 16, 2008
The best cure for hiccups I've ever found was introduced to me by my boss. I was hiccuping and he pulled $20 out of his wallet and said, "If you can hiccup again you can have this money." As soon as I started to concentrate on being able to hiccup they stopped. I now pull this trick on all of my friends, and I've never lost the bet!
david at 6:19 am on April 17, 2008
@jason - i guess you could just use a straw and plug your own ears?
@david - that's one of the most original ideas I've ever heard about stopping hiccups!
Ginger M at 9:03 am on April 17, 2008
[...] feature is from Growing Happiness with The Best Cure for Hiccups, there’s a twist to this you may not know: When I was younger my mother told me that the only [...]
How To Stop Hiccups » TipNut.com at 2:13 pm on April 21, 2008
what I always use at school is put water in a glass and bend at the waist. Drink the water.... while bending over, so you're drinking from the wrong side of the cup. ALWAYS has worked for all the kids I've tried it with.
craftycarole at 4:51 pm on April 21, 2008
Hi. Weird and wonderful. To stop hiccups, you:
1. press on your eyes (with eyes closed, of course)
2. have someone pat you hard on your middle back, or hit yourself! ;-)
This is something my Russian grandad passed on to my family, and we follow it faithfully with good effects. Now don't laugh!
Wombat at 6:55 pm on April 21, 2008
@craftycarole - I wonder what's the rationale behind drinking from the opposite side of the cup... @Wombat - Press on your eyes and get yourself hit? Are you sure this is for hiccups? ;)
Ginger M at 12:03 am on April 22, 2008
I think all the remedies have the same thing in common, they stop the contraction of the diaphram. My cure is this: Take that same glass of water, or any liquid, take as deep a breath as you possibly can, and hold it. While holding your breath, concentrate on taking 16 TINY little sips from your glass, swallowing after each one. By the time you've forced yourself to swallow 16 times while still holding your breath, the diaphram cramp will be gone. The action of holding your DEEP breath has stretched the muscle out.
Cynthia at 4:16 pm on April 23, 2008
All the cures that work depend on holding your breath. All you have to do hold your breath for 30-45 seconds.
David at 11:08 am on April 27, 2008
My never-fail method is to sip dilute apple cider vinegar (1 part vinegar, 2 parts water).
Coruscatus at 12:19 pm on April 27, 2008
The method that works for me is gasping very quickly, drawing as much air as possible in the shortest time possible. I discovered it by chance when someone did a "fright tactic" on my friend with hiccups (i noticed those who weren't able to gasp in fright didn't get their hiccups off). I used to gasp around 2-3 times on a hiccup before, but now I just do it once. Most of the time even just the thought of gasping made my hiccups go away. It never ceases to amaze me. Try it when there's no warm water available.
JAy at 12:51 pm on April 27, 2008
[...] Usually, my hiccups will go away after a shock or by drinking lots and lots of water. And supposedly the best cure for hiccups; Warm water. [...]
Cure for Hiccups at 1:30 pm on April 27, 2008
I can get hiccups a LOT and a pharmacist taught me this cure. Time your hiccups until you spot the rhythim of it and then take a small sip of ice water *just before* the hiccup is due. Do this for about a minute or two. The swallowing action negates the spasm or something but it totally works for me. I shall have to try the warm water trick too. It sounds easier than sitting with a watch in hand.
Later!
Lar at 1:41 pm on April 27, 2008
my hiccups stop instantly with Beano - here is what beano is
http://www.beanogas.com/
wollpine at 7:56 pm on April 27, 2008
My favorite hiccup remedy is - drum roll please - a spoonful of sugar! Yep, a tablespoon of sugar seems to stop them cold. I don't know how it works - the theory I heard is that the intensity of all that sweetness sort of distracts your system and it forgets to hiccup. Whatever - it is almost worth getting the hiccups.
Enjoy!
John Robinson at 8:36 pm on April 27, 2008
Peanut butter works every time for me but I'll give warm water a try next time--less calories -- peace!
Mike at 8:36 pm on April 27, 2008
Hi everyone who came via Tipnut and Lifehacker! Thank you for your suggestions. I might try some of them the next time I get a hiccup. But do try the warm water technique too ok!
*blows hiccup dust*
Ginger M at 9:47 pm on April 27, 2008
[...] hiccups — “spasming diaphragm muscles”. There is a solution though, according to Growing Happiness – “And what do you do when a you get a muscle cramp? You apply heat. Does this method [...]
Cure Hiccups | Entropy at 1:07 am on April 28, 2008
[...] just read this post about the best way to get rid of hiccups: warm water. i have never heard this and am a little [...]
go away hiccups!! » hecker’s blizzog at 10:25 am on April 28, 2008
The best way to stop hiccups is to take back control of your esophagus: swallow. If you can swallow three times before the next hiccup, there likely won't be a next hiccup.
If you find it hard to swallow dry, use small sips of water or any drink you like (juice, coffee, tea, etc.)
This is probably the basis of all the cures that require eating sugar, sipping some liquid or swallowing air. But you can simplify it by reducing it down to the essentials: just swallow.
Meggs at 1:05 pm on April 28, 2008
[...] The Best Cure for Hiccups. [...]
Eternalmoonlight.net » Life tips #8 at 9:13 pm on April 28, 2008
One of the best methods ever is to sip 7 sips of water and after that, say "Leonard". It has never failed before!! If it fails let me know. Do keep in mind that the 7 sips has to be about as small as when u swallow your saliva.
godsent at 5:36 am on April 29, 2008
What works for me everytime is SODA. I've tried drinking water, warm water, bending over, holding my breath, breathing into a plastic cover etc. but none worked till I discovered soda. This has never failed since. I guess it still has a connection with holding breath since both of them involve taking in lot of carbon.
Sharada Ganesh at 8:29 am on April 29, 2008
[...] usually just try to drink a bunch of water in short small sips which seems to work eventually. The Growing Happiness blog claims to have the very best cure for hiccups, and they say that it’s as simple as drinking [...]
Curing Hiccups | ebelog at 3:15 am on May 2, 2008
[...] Drinking Warm water (according to Growing Happiness) [...]
How to stop Hiccups | vRaMi at 6:30 am on May 8, 2008
All thanks to your post, my colleague was having a really bad hiccup which lasted many hours and its starting to annoy everyone in the office. I recall about your post about the hiccup and tried the warm water hiccup remedy on him. After about 30 seconds have gone, the hiccups does continue and I thought probably this method wasn't effective enough until a few minutes later, he came over to thank me that his hiccup had actually stopped! Thanks for this useful tip again!
Carina at 10:04 am on May 10, 2008
[...] [Via GrowingHappiness.com] [...]
Stop Hiccups Without Useing Fear | The Home of Indigo Children at 12:59 pm on May 13, 2008
I'd like to share with you guys another great tip for getting rid of hiccups. If you are not around warm water, all you have to do is think to yourself "stop" or something similar. Some may have to focus on this for a few seconds while others may get rid of them on the first try. Good luck!
Thomas at 12:17 am on May 21, 2008
[...] SELECTED POSTS Monday Blues?20 Ways to Beat Monday Blues Getting Work StartedTime Management Tip for Procrastinators A Problem with Hiccups? The Best Cure for Hiccups as seen on Lifehacker and Tipnut [...]
My Traffic Generation Story — Techniques I Used to Generate and Increase Web Traffic | Growing Happiness at 12:47 pm on May 27, 2008
I too found you on SU. I enjoy this article and the others very much. I love your style of writing. Humorous and well displayed. Im eager to try the Warm Water Cure.
And I heard it here first :)
Honestly at 11:03 am on May 28, 2008
[...] SELECTED POSTS Monday Blues?20 Ways to Beat Monday Blues Getting Work StartedTime Management Tip for Procrastinators A Problem with Hiccups? The Best Cure for Hiccups as seen on Lifehacker and Tipnut [...]
Escalating Hiccup — Other Tried and Tested Ways to Stop Hiccups | Growing Happiness at 3:41 am on June 16, 2008
Wow, it worked...yeah!!! Though at first skeptical that warm water would work, I'd had the hiccups all day so I was desperate to get rid of them and go to sleep. So, I walked right into the kitchen, filled up a coffee cup of water, microwaved for 40 sec., drank it and thought (great now i'll have the hiccups and have to pee too), but alas within 1 min the hiccups we're gone - holy cow, i'm cured! Thank you oh wise one...bow, bow!!! I shall remember and spread the this important message.
Dude, where's my hiccups! at 1:58 am on July 3, 2008
No way, it worked...holy smokes! Read the warm water solution, walked straight into the kitchen, heated up a coffee cup with water in microwave, drank, and literally within 1 minute I went from skeptical to true believer! Thank you!
Dude, where's my hiccups! at 2:13 am on July 3, 2008
Holy Crap! After going through, holding my breathe, stretching, swallowing peanut butter, and drinking room temp water to no success, I tried your technique and it worked in the first seconds. I literally forced myself to drink half a cup of warm water and viola, no more hiccups. Thanks!
Bry at 12:08 pm on September 11, 2008
Holy crap! it really worked! First few sips didnt do it, but then after about 30 seconds they were gone! Amazing..I will tell others!
jmurtn at 11:48 pm on October 7, 2008
omg this worked like magic!!! just like that and my hiccups are gone!! thank you soo much!!!
lisa at 9:51 pm on October 18, 2008
I've found a better method for curing hiccups. It works even better than warm water. Find a circular object that has a more or less defined center. Hold your breath and focus on the center. Wait and you should feel just fine.
Ed at 4:52 pm on December 30, 2008
I seen someone drink water bent over....that apparently helps :)
AJ Kumar
AJ Kumar at 2:11 am on January 30, 2009
wow it really worked i get the hiccough once in a while but i get it really bad and i tried your method and its amazing i love it when i had the warm water i burped that was it cured thanks man
hugo at 9:23 am on February 18, 2009
My 9 year old has had the hiccups for two hours now.. First we tried the streching in the doorway.. Did not work also he was to short.. So I found the war water cure... Honestly it worked.. What a relief.. I was worried he would hve them nd not be able to get ri of them....Thank you so much... Sharon from Ohio
Sharon Ogborn at 4:56 pm on April 11, 2009
Was skeptical at first, but it actually works. Never thought its that simple to stop hiccups. Probably by far most effective method I have tried in stopping my hiccups. Thanks mate.
David at 2:08 am on April 23, 2009
This was awesome!!!! Im at work and the hiccups were killing me... googled.. came across ur page.. took a coffee cup full of water, microwaved it for 1 min, took a sip .. nothing... took one more sip ... nothing... gulped the whole thing down... voila!!!! stopped in like 2 seconds!!! Im still thinking they might start up .. but its been 5 minutes and not yet started.. Thanks!!!!
shailen at 2:13 pm on May 1, 2009
hey it really works ...
I was having horrible hiccups and my would be getting a lot worried for me. Earlier I thought that it will cool down after drinking water but nothing even when I took 3 glasses. Also because of some dust around I started sneezing also. And my partner was crying like anything. Finally I told her that I will sleep and it will be gone. But it it continued even more louder. Finally I stopped the download of movie (running on my laptop for the night) and searched for the tips ... And it really worked. Although having too much of water in my stomach is making me feel unconfortable, and I am feeling that hiccups might start again ... but it has calmed down.
Thanks for the tip ...
Anuj at 12:33 pm on May 7, 2009
Mine doesn't stop, I've had this for 2 straight days now, been googling for remedies but nothing seems to work for me. I've done the warm water thing twice and it's not working for me. Any other remedies? I don't wanna try PB, I might die, lol!
carter at 3:54 am on May 8, 2009
Wow man ... It really worked like charm !!! 10 seconds and the hiccups were gone !!! thanks !
Ravo at 1:19 am on June 11, 2009
Its been years since ive had hiccups , i got them tonight so bad i searched for a way to stop them and i came across this page . A big spoon full of peanut butter followed by a glass of warm water cleared it up immedietly . Im not sure why it worked but man ....im glad it did
TONY at 8:29 am on June 28, 2009
Oh my gosh all this comments on this site has been posted very long ago but everyone I can gladly say hip hip horay cuase I coulnt sleep due to my hickups and just got out of bed to search for a cure on the internet, and 123 my hickups was gone within a matter of seconds after I drank the hot liquid, didnt drink water though, I had tea now and it worked like a charm, this is really a must try to anyone with a hickup problem, thank you soooo much
amy at 10:05 pm on July 16, 2009
Tried holding in the diaphragm and sipping water before, sometimes it worked. Just did it with warm water, and success!
I get really bad headaches from a traumatic brain injury, and morphine gives me the hiccups, although taking Dramamine with the first dose of pills prevents them sometimes. You all have improved my life.
Really, there's worse than wondering if your head's gonna explode before the 75mgs of morphine kicks in... and then you start to hiccup.
Ted Johnson at 3:37 am on August 7, 2009
Excellent advice. Really, really worked. Tried to find a cure for the last 20 years. So thanks.
Larry Hill at 7:19 am on August 29, 2009
Thank you very much for the advice. It worked like a charm. This is the best solution which worked very well. I always tried with water but never worked. Warm water was an immediate solution.
Pavan at 2:40 pm on September 12, 2009
Awesome !! Thank you. It worked like a charm.. What a find.. Whoa... !!!
Ray at 8:35 pm on September 17, 2009
sometimes I drink my own urine and feels good and goes away I recommended for everyone.
luis at 10:44 pm on October 1, 2009
OMG this absolutely works! I tried it with warm milk and voila,it's gone after the 3rd gulp. Thank you so much for sharing this valuable info. I get hiccups every so often and this is the only trick that worked. Cheers!
Mel at 2:50 am on October 10, 2009
I have had the hiccups for hours and tried everything that has worked of and on in the past. I tried the warm water thing and presto they were gone in 4 sips!!!! THANK YOU!
Liz at 10:23 pm on October 11, 2009
I just had the hiccups and I've been trying cures. (did you know that say the name of a person that is thinking of you can cure hiccups who knew) anyways your way works like a charm and i got rid of my hiccups finally.
jakob at 6:03 pm on October 27, 2009
Drink OR Pretend to drink from opposite side of a cup (of water). Be sure you bend enough to the front and also take a few gulps. Always works and you do not need to run anywhere to find (warm) water OR ANYTHING.
Indian at 6:26 am on November 12, 2009
wow! it works for me!!! i searched google to seach how to stop this as i had hiccup attack minutes ago.
and voila, found your blog. i drank one glass of warm water and in a matter of 5 seconds, its gone!!!
im tweeting it!
nhette at 2:40 am on November 18, 2009
I am going to try your method of drinking warm water although my method works, it is not convenient. I drink water "backwards". I take a deep breath, bend over and drink from the opposite side of the cup. I'm 51 years old and have been doing this for nearly 20 years. Yours sounds easier. How warm does the water have to be? In my case, I take about 10 small sips while bent over and holding my breath and it has never failed me. Having a hiatal hernia and Gastroparesis, I am prone to hiccups. I wake up with them many times during the night. I prefer your method. Are you talking lukewarm or warmer than that?
Susan at 11:48 am on January 17, 2010
I tried the warm water and it worked! No more drinking water "backwards" for me!
Thank you so much!
Susan
Susan at 3:28 pm on January 17, 2010
GIRL!!!!!!!YOU MADE MY DAY!!!IT WORKED AFTER THE FIRST SIP.THANKS,THANKS,THANK!!!!!!
Ronel at 2:43 pm on January 25, 2010
You do not need water, the way I use ALWAYS WORKS. Just tilt your head all the way back, open your mouth wide and breathe slowly and deeply 20 times in and out. EASY to stop hiccups.
QuinnJ at 1:28 pm on April 16, 2010
HAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAA it worked!!!....good job my girlfriends hiccups wer begining to make me consider suicide!!! fanx!!!
thankfull guy at 4:45 pm on April 25, 2010
My friend tried to scare the hiccups away, I tried to hold my breath then decided to google the relief and voila, your hot water really works! I can now enjoy the NBA finals.
Skylar at 10:21 pm on June 3, 2010
Wonderful advice!! I tried it with milk, because I was having trouble falling asleep as well! I cup (8 oz) of milk in the microwave for 110 sec...no more hiccups!! Lovely cure! :))
Joanna Robben at 2:50 am on July 20, 2010
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Zech at 1:32 pm on March 30, 2008