When a bout of hiccups strikes, the brain stem shoots signals to the diaphragm that cause the muscle to contract and pull a gulp of air into the lungs

Weird gadget may cure hiccups, early study suggests

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2021-06-19 00:00:13

When a bout of hiccups strikes, the brain stem shoots signals to the diaphragm that cause the muscle to contract and pull a gulp of air into the lungs; then the epiglottis, a flap of tissue behind the tongue, flips over to cover the windpipe and triggers the characteristic "hic" sound that give hiccups their name, Live Science previously reported. The involuntary reflex may serve some purpose in fetuses and newborns, in that hiccups may help train the brain regions and muscles involved in breath control. But as the "hics" serve no apparent purpose in older humans, at some point, they're mostly just a nuisance.

A quick internet search generates a slew of home remedies for hiccups. Some of the best-known tricks include holding your breath, drinking water from the far side of a glass and eating a spoonful of granulated sugar, while some case studies have suggested stranger cures, such as rectal massages and orgasms.

But none of these solutions are backed by robust scientific data, and the typical home remedies "are plagued by unclear instructions, inconsistent performance and poor effectiveness," researchers wrote in a new study, published Friday (June 18) in the journal JAMA Network Open. "There is a need for a simple and effective method to stop hiccups," they wrote.