curing the hiccups

I got the hiccups yesterday afternoon. They returned yesterday evening, and then this morning, and then this afternoon and then again this evening. Each episode lasted over an hour and provided untold amusement for others. As humorous as this is, I was not pleased.

My recurring hiccups did provide an opportunity to test some of the hundreds of cures that can be found on the internet. For example, I can now tell you that putting your fingers in your ears does not cure the hiccups. Similarly, putting sugar on the back of your tongue or pulling on the tongue did not work for me. I had disappointment with holding my breath and with breathing into a paper bag. Antacids didn’t do the trick and neither did just drinking water slowly. I would just hiccup as I swallowed.

I have found one method that when followed carefully does work. I can’t vouch for any of the other content on the site, but this technique is the real deal. From its creators:

(1) Pour a TALL glass of water.
(2) Exhale then hold your breath
(3) Pinch your nose closed
(4) Slowly, take 10 - 20 swallows of the water...while holding your breath with your nose pinched closed
(5) Only when you can't stand it any more (you'll know by that overwhelming drowning sensation) take a deep breath and relax.

If you or, more likely, your kids are similarly afflicted, give this cure a try. I don’t know if it works every time (and I hope I don’t have to find out if it will work repeatedly for me), but it has worked so far and that seems good enough right now.