What to do if the hiccups don’t stop

　　Why do people hiccup?

　　Experts explain that hiccups are caused by problems in any part of the brainstem, cervical vertebrae, chest and stomach. nerve If stimulated, it will cause the diaphragm to spasm and contract. Temporary hiccups may occur especially after being stimulated by cold, eating a full meal, eating too fast, or eating dry and hard food. This is not considered a disease. Most hiccups will stop automatically after a few minutes. So generally there is no need to see a doctor.

　　1. Drinking water bending method

　　Drink a few sips of warm water, swallow it slowly, and bend at 90 degrees 10 to 15 times. Because the stomach is close to the diaphragm, it can warm the diaphragm from the inside. When bending over, the internal organs will also massage the diaphragm, relieve diaphragm spasm, and achieve the purpose of stopping hiccups.

　　2. Tongue stretching method

　　When the hiccups don't stop, put a piece of clean gauze on your tongue, pinch the tongue with your fingers and stretch it out. At this time, you will feel gas rising in the abdomen, and the hiccups will disappear naturally.

　　3. Take deep breaths

　　For example, if hiccups occur while eating, you can stop eating and take a few deep breaths, which can often stop within a short time.

　　When hiccups are frequent, you can use your fingers to press the "Shaoshang" points on both sides yourself or ask someone else to do so. “The "Shaoshang" point is located on the radial side of the root of the thumb nail, about 0.6 cm away from the edge of the nail, at the junction of the black and white flesh. A certain amount of force should be used when compressing, so that the patient will feel obvious pain. The patient can perform self-compression by alternating hands.

　　4. Breath-holding method

　　Just hold your breath for 30 to 45 seconds, or put a clean chopstick into your mouth and gently stimulate the back 1/3 of the palate. The hiccups will stop immediately. Stimulating the palate with chopsticks will induce the gag reflex, causing the patient to hold his breath suddenly, increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the airway, thereby interfering with the hiccup nerve reflex activity. However, people with poor cardiopulmonary function should use this method with caution.

　　5. Massage effectively treats hiccups

　　Take a thin stick, wrap one end with cotton (if you don’t have a stick at hand, you can use the thin end of bamboo chopsticks wrapped in cotton instead), put it into the patient’s mouth, and use its soft end to press a point on the midline of the soft palate in front of the tip. This point is just behind the junction of the hard and soft palates. Generally, one minute of massage can effectively control hiccups.

　　6. Fright method

　　A quick slap on the back of the person who is hiccupping can also stop the hiccups. Because fright, as a strong emotional stimulus, can be transmitted to the subcutaneous center through the cortex to inhibit diaphragm spasm. However, people with high blood pressure and heart disease should use it with caution.

　　7. Paper bag exhalation method

　　Use a small plastic bag to cover your mouth and nose, and take 3 to 5 deep breaths. Repeated inhalation of exhaled carbon dioxide increases the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood to regulate and suppress hiccups.

　　8. Put sugar under the tongue method

　　A spoonful of sugar, swallowed dry (without water), can stop hiccups after a few minutes. Sugar in the mouth may change the original nerve impulse to prevent the muscles of the diaphragm from contracting intermittently.

　　In addition, when you have persistent hiccups, you can try the following methods to stop hiccups:

　　1. Distract attention and eliminate tension and negative stimulation.

　　2. Take a deep breath first, then hold it in for as long as possible, then exhale, repeat this several times.

　　3. Wash your hands, insert your index finger into your mouth, and gently stimulate your pharynx.

　　4. Chew ginger slices.