True or False?
Hiccups are spasms in the diaphragm, the large muscle between the chest and abdomen that helps airflow during breathing, and may repeat several times per minute. In medical terms, they are known as synchronous diaphragmatic flutter (SDF). A hiccup ‘bout’ is any episode lasting more than a few minutes. If the hiccups last longer than forty eight hours, they are considered ‘persistent’, or ‘protracted’. Hiccups that last longer than one month are termed ‘intractable’. The longest hiccup spell on record lasted for six decades!
Here are few things that may trigger hiccups; swallowing too much air, eating too quickly, eating or drinking too much all at one time, sudden changes in stomach temperature (as in drinking a hot beverage and then a cold one), emotional stress and/or excitement. Most bouts of hiccups are harmless, and are usually just annoying.
Home Remedies For Hiccups
If you have a normal bout of hiccups, here are a few home remedies.
~ Eat a teaspoon of sugar or honey.
~ Hold your breath and count slowly to ten.
~ Breath repeatedly into a paper bag for a limited period of time.
~ Quickly drink a glass of cold water.
If your hiccups persist for too long, you should seek a medical opinion. Your doctor is the best one to be able to diagnose an underlying disorder that may be causing your hiccups to continue. The common belief that scaring someone to cure the hiccups rarely works, but you have to admit, it is such fun!
True Or False? Scaring someone cures hiccups.
FALSE
