How to get rid of hiccups, according to experts

Let’s be honest, hiccups are annoying and can be frustratingly hard to stop.

But they’re something that most mammals deal with, including dogs, horses and even squirrels. While the majority of hiccups are harmless and go away after a few minutes or hours, in some cases they can linger and can be a sign of an underlying health issue that warrants a doctor’s attention.

What causes hiccups?

“Hiccups are a reflex where the nerve pathways cause contraction of the diaphragm and muscles of the chest,” Dr. Shashank Ravi, clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at Stanford, tells Yahoo Life. “This reflex causes a sudden inspiration [inhalation], which in turn causes the vocal cords to close, causing the associated sounds of a hiccup.”

Although most people associate hiccups with laughing too hard, Dr. Subhankar Chakraborty, a gastroenterologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life that there are a surprising number of culprits behind hiccups, which can be divided into “those that arise from the nervous system, digestive system and those from other systems in the body.”

Nervous system diseases that can cause longer-lasting hiccups include stroke, brain trauma, brain tumor, inflammation (including from multiple sclerosis) and Parkinson's disease, according to Chakraborty.

Digestive system causes of hiccups include reflux, hiatal hernia, gastroparesis (a disease in which the stomach can’t empty itself) and stomach or small intestinal ulcers.

Other causes of hiccups include heart attacks, pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, and inflammation of the ear, nose or throat. “Abnormalities in electrolytes, such as low sodium or potassium, diabetes, alcohol intoxication, surgery and stress such as fear or anxiety, can also cause hiccups,” explains Chakraborty.

He adds: “Many patients with cancer have hiccups as a problem.”

Medications — including narcotics, sedatives, steroids and chemotherapy drugs — can cause hiccups, too, along with certain types of surgery “where the nerves going to the diaphragm can be irritated,” notes Ravi.

But Ravi points out that what you eat, including hot and spicy foods, and overeating are more likely to bring on a bout of hiccups. "While there can be several reasons that cause the nerve pathway to become irritated, the most common cause is gastroesophageal, ranging from stomach distention due to eating certain types of foods or overeating, or esophageal irritation,” he says.

How long can hiccups last?

Most hiccups are brief and resolve within a few hours, says Chakraborty. When they last up to 48 hours, that’s considered a hiccup bout. However, if they stick around more than 48 hours to one month, they’re classified as persistent hiccups. Hiccups lasting more than a month are called intractable hiccups, explains Chakraborty.

“While the vast majority of hiccups are from non-serious causes and last for short periods of time, very rarely hiccups can last more than 48 hours, which can be a sign of a more serious cause,” explains Ravi. “Hiccups that last for days can be caused by central nervous system disorders, systemic infections, or electrolyte abnormalities such as low levels of calcium or sodium.” Hiccups lasting more than 48 hours should be brought to your health care provider’s attention.

However long your hiccups may last, be grateful you’re not Charles Osborne. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Osborne started hiccuping in 1922, while “attempting to weigh a hog before slaughtering it,” and couldn’t stop for nearly 68 years (yes, you read that right), earning him the longest ever recorded bout of hiccuping.

Here’s what happened: When Obsorne tried to pick up the 350-pound animal, he fell down. Although he felt fine after, his doctor later said that he “busted a blood vessel the size of a pin in my brain,” Osborne told People back in 1982. The publication reached out to Osborne’s physician, Dr. Terence Anthoney, who explained that Obsborne “destroyed a small area in the brain stem that inhibits the hiccup response.”

Apparently, that didn’t stop Osborne from leading a fairly normal life, which included marrying twice and having eight children. Osborne’s hiccups reportedly stopped in February 1990 — one year before he died.

What’s the best way to stop hiccups?

Most hiccups go away on their own and are typically harmless. However, “treatment of hiccups is necessary if they begin to cause inconvenience or distress,” says Chakraborty.

That’s because persistent hiccups can “adversely affect basic activities of daily living, including conversation, eating, drinking, sleep and mood, and can worsen pain,” he says. “Through its constant interruptive nature, hiccups can result in serious consequences, including malnutrition, weight loss, fatigue, dehydration, insomnia, psychological stress and decreased quality of life.”

The good news? There are things you can do to get rid of hiccups, whether you’re an adult or a child. “Common maneuvers to get rid of hiccups include holding one’s breath for five to 10 seconds, performing the Valsalva maneuver for five seconds” — which involves holding your breath and bearing down, similar to what people do when having a strained bowel movement, for about five seconds before exhaling — or “sipping or gargling with cold water,” says Ravi. “These maneuvers aim to relieve irritation of the diaphragm by stimulating specific nerves.”

Chakraborty says you can also try manually pulling out your tongue by grabbing the end of it with your fingers, which stimulates the vagus nerve and may help calm diaphragm spasms, or leaning forward while pulling your knees to your chest.

“If these do not work, medications can be tried,” says Chakraborty. “These include medications that suppress stomach acid production, called proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole, [as well as] metoclopramide, gabapentin, baclofen and haloperidol.”

But what if it’s your baby who has a case of the hiccups? It’s not uncommon for newborns to develop them — particularly those under 12 months old, according to the Cleveland Clinic, who points out that hiccups aren’t harmful to them. To help infants get rid of hiccups, the clinic recommends “breastfeeding or giving them some water. However, if the hiccups don’t stop after a couple of hours, see your healthcare provider” or pediatrician.

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