Paulyski 2,227 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 As I was taking a patients Vital signs today to monitor the physical effects the psychotropic drugs we are administering I couldn't do it because she had the hiccups & kept jumping around! I took her through the steps to cure them & as is the case 95% of the time, it worked & I went along my way. It occurred to me that this is useful information that I was SO GRATEFUL for after I learned I figure I'll pay it forward to you guys. Hiccups are actually your diaphragm going through spasms. There are a lot of "wifes tale cures" But this is the real way to cure them the vast majority of the time. It only takes 60 seconds, & you will be breathing normally again. THIS IS NOT A JOKE. First picture how Tommy Chong hits a joint. That is the type of breath you take to cure hiccups immediately. Breathing this way once or twice WILL equalize your diaphragm & cure the hiccups! I cure my patients like this quite often. It has never failed me 1. Breathe deeply a couple of times to enrich your blood with oxygen because you are about to hold your breath. 2. Inhale as deeply as you possibly can. 3. Wait 5 seconds. 4. Do NOT exhale. 5. Inhale a little more. (your lungs stretch a little so you will be able to after waiting) 6. Wait 5 seconds. 7. Inhale a little more. 8. Wait 5 seconds. 9. Inhale a little more. 10. Wait 5 seconds. 11. inhale a little more. 12. Your lungs should be so full by now that you feel like your eyes are about to pop out. 13. Hold it for a few seconds then SLOWLY exhale. You have now equalized your diaphragm. It may feel weird for a moment, but the hiccups should not come back. If unsuccessful, repeat the process. This procedure was taught to me by a very good Dr. that I work with. Ever since he instructed me on this, I have not had hiccups for more than 1 minuet!! I am very grateful to him for this. Especially when I'm real hungry, eat the first bite to fast & get the hiccups, then eating is hard because you keep hiccuping . Being able to stop them instantly, with a simple type of breathing exercise is kinda cool. I know this topic is trivial, But hiccups are quite annoying. With this information the mystery is over! Good luck Pay it forward... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SovietGinger 16 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Yeah I usually just hold my breath for a while and it goes away... sometimes have to repeat twice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zenmetsu 17 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Thanks for posting this. I am not sure how to best describe how I get rid of them, but I know that it is breath control that does it. I usually only hiccup once and I can stop them in their tracks. When I notice a hiccup, I usually stop breathing for a few seconds... i.e. if was breathing in or out when the hiccup occurred, I do not complete the breath but leave my lungs in their current state for about 5-10 seconds. I then start breathing very slowly and with very shallow breaths, starting with a slow inhale. I think I know what you were talking about regarding feeling funny after equalizing the diaphragm. Once I resume breathing in a shallow manner, sometimes I get a strange feeling from the diaphragm area. If I do not immediately halt airflow in/out of my lungs, I will hiccup again. It takes a minute or so of controlled breathing in this manner before I can resume normal breathing without problems. I will try the method that you describe the next time it happens. It takes the work out of paying attention to that feeling and controlling the breathing accordingly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Azrial 1,091 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 I get hiccups only about once a year, if that, but it is worth knowing! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vbrtrmn 167 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Thanks my girlfriend gets them really badly. I get them now and then, but I've figured out how to relax my diaphragm, so they usually go away really quickly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BobAsh 582 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 A spoonful (or packet, if at a restaurant) of sugar has always worked for me and my family. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
camon 233 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 A good swift kick in the balls also will quickly make you forget about hiccups. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobRez 1,895 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 So, do we actually smoke the joint? What if your at work? Can I substitute the weed with crack? Or how 'bout a really thick milkshake? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
joelrod47 373 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 A spoonful (or packet, if at a restaurant) of sugar has always worked for me and my family. A good swift kick in the balls also will quickly make you forget about hiccups. ........and yet another shining example of the innate diversity that is to be found on this Forum....... Gotta love it !!!! (I vote for the "sugar" approach, myself...............) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paulyski 2,227 Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 So, do we actually smoke the joint? What if your at work? Can I substitute the weed with crack? Or how 'bout a really thick milkshake? Actually if you smoke anything while trying this you will end up coughing before you relax your diaphragm. The Tommy Chong reference was just to help you visualize what I was explaining. Sorry I didn't explain it better for you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paulyski 2,227 Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 (I vote for the "sugar" approach, myself...............) This works before you can get to your sugar. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra 76 two 2,677 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Ya hear that Racegal? I told you I wasn't bullshittin about the sugar trick! Thanks Bob! My aunt taught me that years ago and it always works. There other weird things your body will do after taking a teaspoon of sugar as well.... And if the sugar dose doesn't work then hit that doobie really hard!....lol! Or pretend to...yeah, that's it...yeah... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waltham_41 52 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Wish you would have posted this the other day, I got the hiccups for the first time in years and it took a few hours for it to go away. Thanks for sharing. I (ahem) am familiar with the breathing method of which you speak, although I have not used it in many years Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eric Pate 478 Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 I learned an "old wives trick" that I've used on myself and my patients for years. Hasn't failed yet, but its much more awkward than what you described. I have the person hold a tongue-depressor onto the side of a paper cup and have them drink several swallows while holding their tongue down. I know it sounds crazy, but I swear to god it works every time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paulyski 2,227 Posted August 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 I'll have to try the sugar & toung depresser tricks in the rare case that the deep breath trick doesn't work. The 1 time it didn't was with a borderline Pt. that didn't even try to breathe deep. I think he was pissed & trying to find something to complain about because his med-seeking behaviors were not working. I deal with ALL types. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rastamanila 313 Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 I'll have to try the sugar & toung depresser tricks in the rare case that the deep breath trick doesn't work. The 1 time it didn't was with a borderline Pt. that didn't even try to breathe deep. I think he was pissed & trying to find something to complain about because his med-seeking behaviors were not working. I deal with ALL types. Inhaling as much as you can and holding it for 22 seconds works but it may take 2-3 attempts... Prevention is the best medicine so try not to do anything too fast. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
22_Shooter 1,560 Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Oddly enough, I do something very similar to the the OP's suggestion and have for quite awhile. I was never told to do it. I think I just stumbled on it, when I started to get pissed off at having the hiccups, and was doing all sorts of weird things to stop them. Something I think is weird, is that I'll get the hiccups (randomly, not every time, and not even very often) when I smoke. But I'll only hiccup when I take a drag and right as I inhale, it turns into a hiccup. But when I take a breath without taking a drag, I won't hiccup. This will go on for about half of a cigarette, and then I'll get irritated and do the breathing technique. So what's the diagnosis, Doc? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SaigaNoobie 66 Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 I like hiccups, anyone know how to MAKE yourself hiccup? That'd be awesome! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
22_Shooter 1,560 Posted August 22, 2009 Report Share Posted August 22, 2009 I like hiccups, anyone know how to MAKE yourself hiccup? A mixture of black tar heroin and Peruvian blow. Follow that up with a bologna sammich and some root beer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paulyski 2,227 Posted August 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2009 I like hiccups, anyone know how to MAKE yourself hiccup? A mixture of black tar heroin and Peruvian blow. Follow that up with a bologna sammich and some root beer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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