Remedies Against Hiccups

Hiccups is a manifestation of psychosomatic or gastrointestinal origin; sometimes it is the result of multiple predisposing causes.

It manifests itself as an involuntary and sudden spasm of the diaphragm, which initiates the act of inspiration; on the other hand, the inspiratory act is abruptly interrupted by the closure of the glottis causing a characteristic noise.

A classic example of hiccups is that of the newborn after feeding.

As we will see below, hiccups frequently arise due to certain diseases that inflame the phrenic nerve (diaphragmatic efferent branch).

Hiccups is a symptom that tends to disappear independently, even if it sometimes takes a long time. Some consider hiccups an embarrassing condition to be manifested in public, which is why some remedies have been devised to block it.

What to do

Try to prevent hiccups (see Prevention).
Prevention is especially useful in the following cases:

Digestive disorders:

Dyspepsia.
Hiatal hernia.
Gastroesophageal reflux.

Emotional fragility, nervous tension or a tendency to accumulate stress.
Affections of the final part of the esophagus.
Perforating peptic ulcer
Gastric tumor.
Esophageal cancer.
Bowel obstruction.
Pericarditis.
Peritonitis.
Heart attack.

Healing or reducing the severity of the aforementioned diseases: the frequency of hiccups decreases proportionally to the improvement of these pathologies. On the other hand, in these cases, reducing hiccups is a secondary objective.
The systems useful for passing the hiccups are based on the activation of the diaphragm; they are not always effective in the short term, but often accelerate the autonomous interruption process:

Drink a glass of water (possibly plugging your nose).
Hold your breath (for at least 20 seconds).
Breathe deeply swelling the belly (straining the diaphragm).
Perform the Valsalva maneuver (plug the nose and increase the thoracic and visceral pressure).
Quickly recite a song, a tongue twister or a nursery rhyme.
Swallow small pieces of ice (not recommended for those suffering from stomach problems).
Erupt (if you are unable to practice self-induced burping, drink a glass of carbonated water).

What NOT to do

Assume attitudes and behaviors that can favor the onset of hiccups.
Neglecting digestive complications.
Promote the onset of anxiety by conducting a stressful lifestyle.
Do not cure diseases (mentioned above) that favor the appearance of hiccups.
Eat solid, dry or poorly chewable foods without accompanying the meal with one or two glasses of water.
Chew little.
Bring large pieces of food to the mouth at a time.
Eat fast.
Eat standing up.
Eat meals in stressful conditions or remain anxious.
Stay connected to multimedia devices or for communication when eating
Hold back belching.
To get drunk.

What to eat

There is no suitable diet to combat hiccups, but rather a series of recommendations that can help prevent it. These are useful especially in case of diseases of the digestive system:

In the case of overweight or obesity, promote weight loss by adopting a hypocaloric diet (about 70% compared to normal).
Prepare small meals, characterized by not abundant portions.
Season with extra virgin olive oil avoiding excess.
Of foods of animal origin, prefer those that are lean and / or with little connective tissue: chicken and turkey without skin, rabbit, lean cuts of large animals, cod, anchovies, sea bream, sea bass, corvina, croaker, tuna fillet, prawns, lean ricotta, light spreadable cheese, milk flakes, egg white, no more than one egg at a time.
Of protein foods, prefer those that are totally cooked but not prepared with excessively long techniques. The most suitable ones are:

Boiling in water.
Vacuum packed.
Vasocottura.
Steam powered.
In a pressure cooker.
In a hot flame pan.
Baked.
Grilled.
Baked.

Among the cereals and derivatives choose those with medium fiber content or, preferring the integrals, use small portions.
All fruit and vegetables but in portions of 50-150g.

NB . The temperature of the food must be medium, not too hot and not too cold.

What NOT to Eat

In case of obesity and overweight, avoid high-calorie foods that promote weight gain.
Avoid meals and portions that are too abundant.
Excessive seasonings and fatty or connective tissue-rich foods (all not easily digestible), especially in significant portions: offal, fatty cuts of pork, pork rind, ossobuco, sausages, cured meats, frankfurters, hamburgers, salmon, eel, tuna belly, octopus, cuttlefish, mussels, clams, snails, gorgonzola, pecorino, mascarpone, fontina, brie, more than one egg yolk at a time, carpaccio, tartare, sushi, stew, ragù, soups, braised meat and boiled meat.
The techniques not recommended are:

Stewing.
Frying in a pan.
Long cooking in the oven or on the grill or in boiling water.
Brazing.

Excess of foods containing many fibers (whole grains, bran, legumes, vegetables and fruits).
Foods that reduce the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter (promote reflux): cocoa, chocolate and mint.
Hot or iced foods.
Large portions of milk.
Large portions of alcohol (the state of intoxication favors hiccups).
Large portions of broth.

Natural Cures and Remedies

Phytotherapy: populates some vegetables with spasmolytic and calming effects:

Infusion of chamomile flower heads.
Valerian root infusion.
Passion flower infusion.
Infusion of wild thyme in bloom.
Infusion of lavender flowers.
Infusion of mint leaves.

Pharmacological care

The only drugs capable of reducing hiccups are sedative and spasmolytic; however, they are not administered very frequently, as they are considered excessive for the symptom in question.

Sedatives:

Benzodiazepines: anxiolytic, sedative-hypnotic, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants and anesthetics. They are given as tablets or drops. There are many types classified according to the half-life (short, intermediate and long). Those useful in the event of a hiccup attack have a short half-life; this does not take away from the fact that if the hiccup tends to recur frequently as a symptom of the state of anxiety, the mid-and long-term benzodiazepines can also be useful. Some examples are:

Triazolam (short half life).
Midazolam (short half life).
Ozazepam (intermediate half-life).
Lorazepam (intermediate half-life): for example Tavor ®.
Lormetazemap (intermediate half-life): for example Noctamid ®.
Alprazolam (intermediate half-life): for example Xanax ®.
Temazepam (intermediate half-life).
Chlordiazepoxide (long half-life).
Clorazepate (long half-life).
Diazepam (long half-life).
Flurazepam (long half-life): for example Slipam ®.
Nitrazepam (long half-life).
Flunitrazepam (long half-life).
Clonazepam (long half-life): for example Rivotril ®.
Prazepam (long half-life).
Bromazepam (long half-life): eg Lexotan ®.

Abdominal spasmolytics:

Atropine: is an antimuscarinic drug. Reduces gastrointestinal activity, relaxes the smooth muscles of the ureters and suppresses sweating. Some examples are:

Atropine lux 1%.
Atropina love 1%.

Prevention

Spend the time required for the meal; not less than 20-30 '.
Eating sitting.
"Pull the plug" during the meal break; change environment with respect to work or stressful activities in general.
Do not consult the phone, do not switch on the TV, do not stand in front of the computer etc.
Eat slowly, avoiding ingesting more air than necessary.
Chew thoroughly.

For those with chewing problems, choose foods that suit their needs.

Bring small mouthfuls to the mouth.
Drink during the meal.
Avoid carbonated beverages.

Medical Treatments

There are no medical treatments useful to prevent or stop hiccups, although therapeutic interventions for the treatment of primary diseases from which it derives could be considered decisive.