9 Astonishing Facts About Hiccups That Will Surprise And Inform You

The Effectiveness Of Home Remedies

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Although many people swear by them, home remedies for hiccups generally do not work. These home remedies include holding the breath, being startled by someone, breathing into a paper bag, drinking hot or cold water, and performing breathing exercises. Mental distraction has also been used as a way to trick the body into stopping the hiccups, and some people turn to hypnosis or acupuncture for relief. These methods mayhelp some, but with no scientific proof to back them up, it is hard to predict the success any given sufferer will have with them. That said, scientists have not yet discovered a definitive cure for hiccups, and many doctors recommend trying some of these home remedies before prescribing muscle relaxants or narcotics.

Old Wives' Tales

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An old wives' tale claims that people get hiccups when another person (who is not present) is speaking about them. According to this tale, hiccups can be cured by identifying the perpetrator and saying his or her name out loud. Of course, if this tale were true, many high-profile politicians, athletes, and public figures would constantly have the hiccups. Nevertheless, this is not the only old wives' tale about the hiccups to survive to this day. An old Russian legend claims that people can start hiccuping if someone else is even just thinking about them. Another asserts that those with hiccups are cursed by bad luck and have a demon living inside of them.