L
ooking for a sure-fire hiccup remedy? So were the famous Greek
philosophers. Apparently, diaphragmatic spasms were among
the weighty matters they debated more than 2,000 years ago.
Plato describes a dialogue between the playwright Aristophanes
and the physician Eryximachus dating back to about 400 BC.
The playwright sought the physician’s help for his hiccups.
"Let me recommend that you hold your breath," answered Eryximachus,
"and if this fails, gargle with a little water; and if the
hiccup still continues, tickle your nose with something and
sneeze, and if you sneeze once or twice, even the most violent
hiccup is sure to go."
In my experience, most hiccup remedies don’t stand up to their reputation. But over the years, I have collected several that do work, and work well. First, let’s consider the anatomy behind the problem. Hiccups are abrupt involuntary spasms of the diaphragm. They occur when this muscle contracts repeatedly. The opening between your vocal cords (the glottis) then slams shut, generating the hic sound. This can irritate the vagus nerve, which passes from the brain to the stomach, causing hiccups.
