Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Hiccup Help

The Washington Post publishes a daily free mini-paper called the Express which they distribute at Metro stations in the morning.  It’s nice to get a free paper and it’s just the right length for the commute.

They publish a weekly insert that deals with health issues and though it sometimes goes off the woo woo end, by featuring ear candling of all things, it also sometimes prints good advice.  This morning there was a suggestion for a technique to defeat hiccups that sounds like it just might work.

  “Take the deepest breath you can, hold it for 10 seconds, then, without exhaling, suck in more air and hold it for five more seconds. Finally – still without exhaling – breathe in as much more air as you can squeeze in, hold for another five seconds, and exhale.  Then breathe normally.”

This technique is supposed to immobilize the diaphragm and prevent the spasms.

Give it a try and let us know if it works.

 

6 comments:

Eric Haas said...

The cure for hiccups is to take a placebo. If the placebo doesn’t work, increase the dosage until it does.

Carol said...

That's how I always get rid of hiccups.

Paul Seegers said...

I found that changing the thinking of the person who is effected works. My wife had the hiccups and I told her I would give the $50 in my wallet if she hiccuped again. They stopped and she now thinks I am a Jedi.

Ipecac said...

Maybe she was having a minor coronary in shock.

Paul Seegers said...

Maybe she did, but I still changed what her brain was focused on. I have more examples of this.

ahtitan said...

You can also place your fingers under your lowest ribs and press upward and inward. I learned this from Captain Steubing on the Love Boat.

I'm totally not kidding.