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.
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DEAR DR. GOTT: I’ve read many “cures” for hiccups in your column. I remember how my mother taught me to cure my younger siblings of hiccups when they were babies by touching the tip of the tongue with a little sugar. This would cause a sharp intake of breath, and that seemed to do the trick. Later I learned about scaring someone to stop the hiccups, then about drinking water while holding the ears, etc.

All of these seem to have one thing in common — a deliberate interruption of the breathing pattern. So why all the drama? You don’t need sugar, water or a third person to intervene when using my preferred method.
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