DEAR DR. GOTT: Some time ago in your column you had a discussion about how to cure hiccups. I had read of a cure which involved putting a metal object like a knife, fork or spoon into a glass of water then touching the metal part with your cheek while drinking the water. Let me tell you, this absolutely works. I mentioned it to a scientist friend who said there is an electrical current formed which causes the hiccups to end. It’s also safe, easy and reliable.
DEAR READER: Hiccups are a universally frustrating and embarrassing problem. The conditions results from involuntary contractions of the diaphragm, a thin muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen and is important to breathing. The characteristic “hic” sound results from a sudden closing of the vocal cords upon each contraction.
Rarely, hiccups can be a sign of an underlying medical condition but in the vast majority of cases it is the result of something benign, such as eating a large meal, ingesting carbonated beverages or excessive amounts of alcohol, emotional stress, excitement, or sudden temperature changes.
A bout of hiccups typically lasts for a few minutes, but can last for several months. Anyone who experiences hiccups for 48 hours or longer should seek medical advice to determine if a possible underlying cause comes in to play. Some of these can include gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), goiter or neck tumor, stroke, meningitis, multiple sclerosis (MS), diabetes, certain medications, alcoholism, kidney failure and more. It is important to note that hiccups are not typically associated with these conditions, and other, more classical signs and symptoms will usually present.
For those who experience prolonged hiccups due to a medical problem, treatment of that underlying condition may help. Some individuals may also experienced relief using baclofen (a muscle relaxer), metoclopramide (an anti-nausea drug) or chlorpromazine (an anti-psychotic). For persistent cases that don’t respond to more conservative approaches, an injection of an anesthetic (numbing agent) to block the phrenic nerve or surgical implantation of a vagus nerve stimulating device may be helpful. However, for most of us, hiccups will resolve on their own within a few minutes without treatment. For those who have hiccups that last a bit longer, there are more home remedies than you can shake a stick at. The one you have suggested is familiar to me but I heard it with the metal touching the temple rather than the cheek. Others include a spoonful of smooth peanut butter, eating a few chocolate chips, being frightened, drinking water while upside down, holding one’s breath, mixing a teaspoon of sugar into water and drinking it or simply placing a teaspoon of sugar under the tongue and letting it dissolve.
There are so many remedies out there but in my opinion, the best is simply time.
Readers who would like related information can order my Health Report “Compelling Home Remedies” by sending a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and a $2 US check or money order to my attention at PO Box 433, Lakeville, CT 06039. Be sure to mention the title when writing or print out an order form from my website www.AskDrGottMD.com.
