Hiccups in General Practice

Very occasionally patients come in with this strange one. All the patients I have seen in General Practice share one common item in their history - they never learnt a good way to stop hiccups.

From the reading it involves some sort of resetting of the diaphragm that's going beserk.

This is my simple technique that is almost guaranteed to work that I have used effectively.

Drink continuously from a cup of water - sips will do, do not stop to breathe. Take 10 SLOW gulps - these can be small otherwise you might be full up of water. You will get an overwhelming urge to want to breathe, but the act of drinking causes an intake of air that will be sufficient to keep you oxygenated. When you have completed this exercise, you will be hiccup-free.

Not only is this episode over, this is a skill they will have for life.

I once got a bottle of Champagne for helping someone with his intractable hiccups.

Let  me know if it doesn't work in the comments section.

The expressive writing method - A simple method to improve grades?

Write for 15 minutes for 4 consecutive days.

Just try it and see what happens at the end of the exercise. It will surprise you.

It's great for people who don't like to talk to others.