Hiccups are annoying. They are uncomfortable and sometimes even a tad painful. This abnormality is something that none of us enjoy having to deal with. This article is for those who suffer from hiccups and just can’t stand them anymore. As such, the ways in which to stop them generally involve stimulating muscles or constricting your diaphragm muscles.

Hold your breath
Take a deep breath and hold it for as long as possible. This action will help to stretch the diaphragm muscles and prevent it from contracting until you exhale. This often helps to get rid of hiccups although you may need to repeat this procedure a couple of times.

Scare yourself
It may sound like a myth, but being frightened can actually overwhelm the nerve and cure your hiccups.

Breath into a paper bag
The theory behind this is that the increase of carbon dioxide in your bloodstream distracts your body from the hiccups because it will be too focused on getting rid of it.

Use an antacid
Antacids, particularly ones that are high in magnesium, help to contain hiccups because they calm the nerves and decrease irritation.

Cough, burp and sneeze
If you can manage to do any of these things, they can help alleviate your hiccups. The belief is that these actions cause your diaphragm to constrict and thus stop them in their tracks.

Eat slow
Eating too fast can also cause those pesky hiccups. This is because air gets trapped between pieces of food and thus irritate your vagus nerve. Chew deliberately and slowly.