A physician in general medicine with more than 5 years of clinical experience to her credit.
Hiccups can be a nightmare when you are at a noiseless exam hall or attending an important conference. At times, the irritation is hard to bear. The good news is its short life. Still, almost all of us have had a few embarrassing hiccup-moments. Well, when a baby scraps through a hiccup, there are some elders who comment, ‘Hey, the kid is growing’! Is this part and parcel of the centuries-long belief that hiccups signal growth? Or is it just another myth? Let us find out.
The origin of hiccups!
Relax, it is not you, but your diaphragm- the dome-shaped muscle that separates your chest from your abdomen. Normally, when you inhale air, your diaphragm pulls down and then comes back to the former position once you exhale. Occasionally, when your diaphragm gets irritated, it might involuntarily move, enforcing you to suddenly suck air into your throat. Well, your voice box isn’t prepared for such a sudden rush of air, thus it just closes with a ‘hic’ sound. Thus, originates a hiccup!
The hic-fact!
The ‘Hikkaroga’ mentioned in Ayurveda is compared to hiccups.
Triggers
Hurry-burry eating is one of the major causes for hiccups. This might lead to accidental intake of excess air giving way to the same. Excess consumption of carbon, spicy food, and alcoholic beverages can also make you ‘hic’. Even temperature changes, nervousness, and stress can be the cause. Take a little care, and hic less!
When to seek help
Once is fine, twice is fine too, what if it lasts for 48 hours? When hiccups hang around for a while, consult a doctor. Such long-term hiccups are a serious medical condition. Persistent hiccups can make your day-to-day life difficult. You wouldn’t be able to drink, eat, and sleep properly. Damage or irritation to vagus nerves might even be the cause of such long-lasting hiccups. If you cross the 48-hour mark with your hiccups, seek help in a jiffy.
Getting rid of hiccups
You will never know when you are going to have a hiccup. Here are some easy remedies that you can put to use when you get normal hiccups. To begin with, try deep inhalations and exhalations. Breathe in, hold your breath for 20-30 seconds, then release. Relax your mind and body. At times, drinking a glass of water, consuming a spoonful of sugar or biting a lemon might do the trick. If these tricks aren’t working, just lie on your bed with stomach down, take a deep breath, retain for 10 to 15 seconds and slowly exhale. Repeat the process several times and take a 5-minute rest before waking up. Do you still have it? Wait for 4 days and if it persists, visit a doctor.
Let’s conclude
Now we know the science behind hiccups. We also know how struggling through a hiccup feels like. The next time you see a friend or colleague suffering one, give them water first and make fun of them later. With the above-mentioned home-remedies in hand, you are now a pro in handling typical hiccups. With all the major hiccup facts in hand, we can strongly confirm that it doesn’t indicate a growth spurt!
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