Medications for hiccups, such as chlorpromazine or metoclopramide can be taken as prescribed by a doctor. They are usually recommended recommended when the hiccups are persistent or chronic, lasting for more than 2 days.

Most of the time, hiccups last for a few minutes and can be resolved with some simple home remedies, such as drinking a glass of ice water, holding your breath or breathing into a bag for a few minutes. Check-out ways to get rid of hiccups quickly at home.

What can I take to stop hiccups?

When hiccups are persistent and last for more than 2 days, it is necessary to seek medical attention for assessment. The doctor may opt to prescribe medications to stop hiccups, such as:

Chlorpromazine
Haloperidol
Metoclopramide

These medications act directly on the nervous system and help to regulate the stimuli that cause hiccups.

In more severe cases, the doctor may also recommend the use of anticonvulsants and powerful relaxants, such as phenytoin, gabapentin or baclofen, for example, which work by controlling neuronal impulses.

Home remedies for hiccups

A great natural treatment for hiccups is to learn how to control your breathing, through yoga or Pilates techniques, for example, as it enables you to dilate the diaphragm and better control your respiratory muscles.

A good example of this is 4-16-8 breathing, in which you should inhale air for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 16, and exhale for a count of 8. You should breathe very deeply, using your abdomen and entire chest, and you should also exhale completely during exhalation.

Other home remedies for treating hiccups include:

Drinking a glass of ice water or sucking on ice
Holding your breath for as long as you can
Breathing into a paper bag for a few moments

In addition, you can induce the Valsalva maneuver, which involves plugging your nose and trying to exhale through your nostrils.

How to avoid hiccups

Hiccups are mainly caused by inflammation, infections or irritations in the chest and gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, before using medication, your doctor may recommend some measures to eliminate the underlying cause to promote more effective treatment, such as:

Taking smaller bites and eating slowly, as eating too quickly or excessively causes the stomach to dilate;
Avoiding carbonated or alcoholic beverages to reduce reflux;
Treating other diseases that may be causing hiccups, such as pneumonia, gastroenteritis, meningitis, otitis, cholecystitis, changes in blood electrolytes or kidney failure. Learn more about what can cause hiccups.

Other alternative treatment options that may have good results are hypnosis or acupuncture sessions, which can stimulate sensations, perceptions and thoughts, and can be useful in controlling stimuli and spasms of the chest muscles.