Hiccups

Hiccups are simple to explain: Your diaphragm (the major muscle involved in breathing) goes into spasm. The exact cause of hiccups is still unknown, though here are some folk remedies worth trying:

• Hold your tongue with your thumb and index finger and gently pull it forward.
• With your neck bent backward, hold your breath for a count of ten. Exhale immediately and drink a glass of water.
• Breathe into and out of a paper (not plastic) bag.
• Swallow a small amount of finely cracked ice.
• Massage the back of the roof of your mouth with a cotton swab.
• Eat dry bread slowly.
• Drink a glass of water rapidly.

Frequently occurring or prolonged hiccups may indicate other health problems, like stomach distension or a heart attack, both of which call for immediate medical care.

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com