Hiccups are a very common condition that is likely to have affected each and every individual at some point in their lives or the other. Hiccups are, essentially, a reflex action characterized by the involuntary squeezing of the diaphragm – which is one of the most important constituents of the breathing apparatus in the human body. Its primary purpose is to create a vacuum in the chest cavity – causing the lungs to pull air into them to continue the breathing process on an involuntary basis.


Hiccups are a noise caused by the sudden and unexpected shutting of the glottis above the voice box during an intake of breath. This sudden shutting of the glottis is what produces the sound known as a hiccup. While the condition is likely to die down on its own after a few hours, some of the more chronic cases are known to go on for days.


This could cause a significant amount of disturbance not only to the affected person, but also the people in close proximity of him or her.

Some of the more common causes of hiccups include sudden emotional excitement, stretching of the stomach after eating or consuming some kind of fluids, substantially hot or cold food or beverage or even a sudden change in body temperature. Sometimes, the development of hiccups could even be the consequence of more serious factors such as an irritation of the diaphragm by some kind of infection, a brain infection or tumor or even severe kidney failure amongst many others.

Suffering from hiccups all day or even for a significant period of time can be very discomforting. But because the condition is so common all over the world, there are a number of home remedies for hiccups that have been tried, tested and perfected to help treat the condition in most cases. Some of these home remedies for hiccups are surprisingly simple and equally effective. For example, one of the most potent home remedies for hiccups is sugar. All you would need to do is simply ingest a teaspoon of sugar when affected by a hiccup attack. If you are suffering from drunk hiccups – which are the result of excessive consumption of alcohol – the best advice would really be to simply sleep it off. Another very effective home remedy to help cure hiccups fast is to mix ½ teaspoon of mustard seed with ½ teaspoon of clarified butter and swallow small portions of the mixture at regular intervals for as long as the hiccup attack lasts.