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Dr Sarah Jarvis has been to visit Chris Sands. He can't stop hiccupping.
Chris' case is exceptional - he's tried every remedy going, but to no avail.
Unlike coughing or sneezing, hiccupping is a pretty useless human reflex and there are many explanations as to the causes.
Also: For the next series of Curious Complaints films, The One Show is now looking for people with these particular complaints: Dandruff, body odour, halitosis (bad breath), hairy women, blushing.
Do you know how to cure hiccups? What's your solution?
Comments
I have a cure, I have cured many friends with this remedy.
Calmly speaking to the afflicted person.....
tell them to breathe in deeply and slowly through their nose
and breathe out slowly through their mouth
repeat 5 times
breathe in deeply and slowly through their nose, hold the breathe for 5 seconds, then gulp. breathe out through their mouth
repeat 3 times
breathe in strongly through their mouth
breathe out
cured!
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hiccups
I suffer from hiccups occasionally, they have lasted up to 2 hours in the past, and i cane across an extreme cure. It's not very pleasant, but it has proved 100 % effective in my case.
I make myself retch, fingers down the throat, and it interupts the hiccups, and they go, sometimes it does take a few attempts.
maybe it will help the hiccup man
Martin Togher
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This works for me in one of two ways:
1. Stand with a friend facing you
2. Place fingertips of index finger in your ears
3. At the same time place the thumb to seal the nostrils.
4. Deep breath, then fully exhale.
5. Friend then feeds you a glass or water which you drink very slowly and without any airbreaks.
Now I can do it by just holding my nostrils tight and drinking a glass of water.
I was in hospital for 6 weeks following an accident and would get hiccups at least once and hour, often for hours and regularly wake with them.
Good luck.
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re the guy with continuous hiccups - they are the result of muscle spasms of the diaphragm and can be caused by magnesium deficiency. Just Google hiccups and magnesium.
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I also have a cure for hiccups which I have tried many times and it has NEVER failed on myself and my friends over the past 20 years.
sounds a bit daft but works!!
Stand with you fingers in your ears and get someone else to feed you with a pint of water and don't stop guzzling until the glass is empty, not entirely sure why it works but it does.
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I have a wonderful, if rather strange cure for the hiccups. I have proved that this works several times, often with young babies where than can be no chance of a psychological effect.
Dampen a small piece of tissue paper (loo roll) .... about the size of a postage stamp... and stick it to you forehead... central and just above the eyebrows.
The hiccups very often stop straight away!
...(you look a little strange, but I dont suppose that Chris is toooo worried about that at this point!)
Joanna Chambers
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Guaranteed Cure..
Get him to try this...
Fingers in ears. (prob easier to get some one to do this). - to block any air passing through.
Drink pint of water, or as much as poss.
Works EVERY TIME !!
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I have a solution (though not a permanent cure so needs repeating when the hiccups return). Oddly enough I suffer from heartburn quite a lot and used to get hiccups for two or three days at a time. No more though.
It's simple - just go to Hatha Yoga classes and do the total relaxation exercise. It involves tensing and then deeply relaxing each body part at a time, starting with the toes and moving up (evantually) via the torso to the neck face and head. Done properly it relieves hiccups as soon as the torso is relaxed in this manner. It may take a little practice but it works and only takes a couple of minutes once learnt. I guess it works by relaxing the diaphram and whichever other muscles etc are involved in hiccups. It works for me (none of the other old wives tales do!) Hope it works for Chris.
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mine is similar to no3
fingers in ears and a friend pours a drink into your mouth
3 gulps and they are gone
this has worked on everyone i have ever shown
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Please try this cure now it really works.Place2 fingers pointing each other above the eyebrows press firmly at least 2
2 minutes(both index and middle fingers)till hiccups cease.
Good Luck!
Sally.
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Hey, so impressed that the guy in the story still has such a positive outlook - go you!!!
My solution has always worked for me and the kids I teach.
My friend once got me to suck a piece of ice (failing that sucking a hard lolly) as it helps relax your muscles and get them back to a normal rhythm. It has worked every time. Would love it to work for you.
Good luck.
Louisa
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Whenever my partner gets hiccups she drinks about a shot, to a double of sherry. It always gets rid of them for her, seems to work well for all her family members.
Worth a try perhaps?
Good Luck
Andy
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I confirm that the method where you stick your fingers tightly in your ears while someone holds a drink of water and you drink it slowly, breathing through your nose until all the water is gone, has been absolutley foolproof in every case of hiccups I have ever encountered. I do wonder if the young man has now developed a habit after so long though....
Worth a try.
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Having breathed in, held my breath then swallowed three times, and all the other 'standing on your head to drink a glass of water' methods, I have found that breathing OUT after a hic-cough, holding my breath for as long as possible then swallowing 3 times before breathing in has cured my hiccoughs and those of anyone to whom I've passed on this method. I realise there's possibly no scientific evidence but perhaps other viewers/bloggers might be interested in an alternative method of getting rid of hic-coughs.
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My husband earns himself free pints in the pub with this cure. It works on teens too (I'm a teacher and try it on them when they ask).
Get the afflicted person to sit facing you on a chair. Using your middle fingers gently press them into the hollow between the base of the ears and the neck. Get the person to take a deep breath and hold it until you tell them to let go. Count in seconds to about 25-30 (or until the person begins to go pink).
Hiccups should have gone.
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there are two tricks that one can try
The one I tried with lots of success is to sit the person with the hiccup across my lap sitting on my right leg. They have to lean forward and exhale as far as they can touching their toes to help the exhalation. They then have to beeze in as deep as they can leaning backwards as far as possible and hold their breath. At that point they have to hold themself with their legs being locked under my right leg lying almost flat and putting full tension on their stomach muscles to hold their upper torso leaning backwards and hold as long as possible at which point the hiccup tends to stop.
I normally do this at ground level holding my arm behind the person so if their muscles give way I can support them. However due to lack of space thousand feet above ground in an aeroplane I successfully applied a distraction technique getting the stewardess to tell me what she had as a meal the wednesday two weeks ago before in detail which did the trick. It normally works on the ground as well but it was an interresting experience. Unfortunatelly I have no experience if these methods work in cases of continuous hiccups as described here.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
I know that Chris says he has tried Hypnotherapy, but I wonder if he has tried Regression. This can work on all ailments, whether old or new, and sounds a bit far fetched, but believe me it is the cure for everything!
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About the hic cup guy: if he is constantly getting heart burn, has he been checked for helicobacter pylori - a very common curable problem which causes reflux (heartburn)?
M Caton
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I refer to he BBC web page http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5411816.stm where a cure for hiccups may be found. The technique of digital rectal massage was awarded the Ig Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2006.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
add 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon to 1/4 cup of hot water and sip slowly.
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I heard of this old Irish Cure many years ago. I have used it and it has worked for me in the past when curing people with hiccups, it has worked on individuals of all religious backgrounds/ disbelievers and over the phone.
You ask the person affected with hiccups a question as follows > When did you last pray to the Holy Spirit? (The results should be instant)
I would love to hear from you if it happens to be successful.
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Hi .... I've cured many people of their hiccups by .... asking them to raise both arms above their head and then to take a full inward breath and in, this raises the diaphragm. Then gently offering a small cup of water to their lips getting them to take a couple of sips. It never fails.... If i've got hiccups myself with no one around ... i just do the same thing only raising one arm high and using the arm with the cup at ear level to feed myself water works also to clear the hiccups.
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A cure for hiccups
Lay down and get a friend to press on your stomach with their fingers applying pressure upwards into the chest just below the sternum and between either rib cage.It should apply pressure on to the diaphram and stop it flexing or going into spasm,this in theory should allow it to adopt its normal state when released.It may take a minute or two.
A word of advice for the friend. Dont press to hard or you may be visiting casualty with a black eye!
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This cure has never failed. pinch your nose very tightly, get someone to hold your ears closed very tightly then drink a glass of water straight down. This has worked on all the people I have told about it.
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This may already have been tried but my daughter, who has a neurological condition and is NG tube fed, gets hiccoughs regularly right from the bottom of her boots. One of her doctors suggested using haloperidol last year and when her hiccoughs have gone on for more that an hour or so it usually works.
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Please Read ~ i had hiccups for a year and a half just before starting my GCSE year at school, i totally understand what your going through. Having hiccup's is one of the most stressful things you can have but having them actually became a big part of my life. It first started when i wasnt very well and vomiting, then i had hiccups constantly for the next two days. On the second night i got stressed and upset and had, what would be then known as a "hiccup attack". Things that could cause a hiccup attack would vary from a shock and making me jump to laughing to much. A hiccup attack is where the hiccups get quicker and quicker so much that you struggle for breath. So, needless to say, the ambulance was called as my lips turned blue! The techniques the paramedics tried were; lying on a bed and slowly moving my head from side to side (in case of inner ear infection) to having me submerge my head in a sink full of ice cold water with a bucket of ice thrown in for good measure! none of these techniques worked so the next day i was sent to hospital and was kept in for a week. I had MRI scans, ECG, blood tests everything u can imagine and the doctor's were stumped, none of the methods used helped. I also had hiccups through the night and suffered from lack of sleep and confidence. After that i was sent to see a phsycologist, THIS IS WHERE IT GOT BETTER!! I was taught breathing techniques to keep myself calm when i got stressed and these really helped and still do now. I would love to be able to tell you how i got rid of the hiccup's ,but slowly they started to slow down in frequency until they eventually stopped, but i cant even tell u when they stopped because it took me a while to notice as i had learnt to disguise and hide mine! I still get the odd one now and if someone scares me i will get the out of sync breathing that i suffered from, just no hiccups, thank god! All i can say to u is to practise breathing techniques, go to the beach or somewhere u love and relax, socialising is key!! your close friends wont let u think about it because it wont be bothering them! i wish u all the best of luck with getting rid of those evil hiccups and thanks for reading this. Mel
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Hi some years ago a friend of mine had irretractable hiccups, he was given chlorpormazine and they stopped. It might be worth trying if your GP agrees, to prescribe a small dose to help stop the hiccups, better than surgery. Don't know if you had tried it already.
Wish you all the best.
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A Royal Navy CPO in the 60's advised me to
take two tablespoons of vinegar for hiccups.
It has always worked for me.
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well i`ve read a few of the cures for hic ups posted here.mine`s fairly silly too. think of white horses. thats it ,no fingers in ears ,standing on your head, reciting the works of shakespeare whilst drinking a pint of water .just think of white horses. in my experience it works straight away. no idea why just glad that it does!
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My cure for hiccups requires two people. The sufferer sticks his fingers in his ears. Then the other person holds the nostrils closed at the same time. Then the sufferer drinks a glass of water; with the aid of a straw if this helps, making sure that ears and nostrils are closed simultaniously.
I'm not sure if this creates some sort of vacuum, but my husband once hiccuped for over 2 hours and this is what he was told to do by a friend, thinking it was a joke he did it and it worked immediately.
I have since had to do this myself and it always works even if you do look daft at the time!!
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Hi i have read all of the cures, and i am afraid my cure is not at all like the one's mentioned, i am afraid i have to touch Chris for at least one minute, i thought long and hard about making a comment and after recieving lots of phone calls from other people i helped, and the fact that chris is in so much discomfort am offering hopefully some help, i have only ever helped people with what i call normal hic cups, and havent got a clue if my cure would work for Chris, it would only take 1 minute and it does not hurt.
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HAS ANYONE CONSIDERED A BOTOX INJECTION DIRECTLY INTO THE DIAPHRAGM TO RELAX THE SPASMODIC MUSCLES?
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My name is Vikki Stoddart and I have just been sitting watching your show about the guy with the history of hiccups for 3 years. My step father had them for days only many years ago and I remember my mother saying that he was cured with Solpadine tablets, normally used for headaches I believe. May be he could give them a go. Not too sure of the spelling of the tablet but could be Solpadene and I think they are big round white tablets that you dissolve in water..
Can't remember the last time I had hiccups but know after even 5 minutes it becomes painful and you wish they would go. Wish you all the best.
Good luck.
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One possible cure for the continuous hiccups could be treatment with botox. An injection of botox into the pylorus of the stomach has been proven to eleveate the problem of gastroparesis (delayed emptying of the stomach due to excessive spasm of the stomach). An injection of botox into the diaphragm may reduce the spasm and stop the hiccups. Ask your doctor about it!
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If you have hiccups, ask someone to hold both your wrists as if they are taking your pulse using the index finger and middle finger over the pulse spot and the thumb at the back of the wrist. Once they can feel a good pulse in both wrists, apply a greater pressure and count to 40 slowly then release grip simultaneously and the hiccups should be gone.
This does not always work so well if hiccups occur due to too much alcohol
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I am a practitioner of the Bowen Technique and I have found the Diaphragm Procedure a rapid and effective cure for hiccups. It is a simple procedure to execute.
There is a list of Bowen Practioners by area on the Bowen Techique website www.thebowentechnique.com and I am sure a local prcationer would be delighted to assist.
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Many years ago - back in 1980 - my father, whilst in hospital with stomach cancer, took a bout of hiccups which would not stop. After 3 days of hiccuping a junior doctor on the ward that day told staff that in his native country - I think it might have been Uganda? - the paw paw fruit is well reknowned for curing hiccups. Having nothing to loose the ward staff set about locating a paw paw fruit - not an easy task back then. They managed to get one and it actually worked and stopped the hiccups. It would certainly be worth Chris giving it a try.
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I`m not a `blogger`, but signed up to try to help this guy with `hiccups`.
I see ther are several `cures` similar to mine, so it does work. I suggest another try!
Get someone to stand behind you and put his forefingers onto your small ear lobes. He should press inwards - very firmly - and continue to hold while you drink some cold water slowly.
It`s important to press firmly - and keep pressing!
I came across this over 50 years ago, and have used it on friends and family ever since.
It has NEVER failed.
Good luck!
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I have just attended a Emotional Freedom Therapy (EFT - Tapping) course which may help this young man, if not has he tried hypnosis or hypno analysis? These are worth a try before resorting to surgery!
None of these options can cause harm and hopefully they will bring about the cure. They are certainly less evasive than some of the other suggestions.
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My name is Jenny Crowhurst from Milton Keynes and I have a really good cure for hiccups. It sounds ridiculous and people have disbelieved me, but I showed my young doubting nephew once, when he had hiccups he couldn't rid and he too had an immediate cure.
Everybody who is writing in all have similar Ideas but no one has come up with this one yet.
I have acid reflux which treated with medication doesn't trouble me too much. Sometimes I get painful hiccups that can last up to a week. Once in desperation I looked this problem up in a medical book and here is where my answer came. To swallow down a teaspoon of sugar quickly in one go. I don't like sugar but it really does work instantly every time. I admit, when I first read this cure I even doubted it, but I don't now and seeing my doubtful nephew stop hiccups after he had the sugar proves that it is strange but effective.
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I know this has probably been said before but I have never failed to get rid of hiccups by holding my breath, but their is a technique.
You have to breathe in as much as you can, then breathe in some more, and some more until you cannot take in any more.
Then hold it for as long as you physically can, trying to take in more and more breath the whole time.
Do this for around a minute/until you feel light headed.
Sounds unhealthy I know, I hope no-one has ever collapsed doing this but for me it has just always got rid of the hiccups.
In my experience, most people don't have the stamina/patience to follow this through but it always works!
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I find taking a deep breath, then while holding it swallowing slowly three times. And you must make sure you swallow properly, it's harder then you think. Then I breath out very slowly and calmly making sure my diaphram is relaxed. This works for me every time.
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Guaranteed cure for hiccups - hold your breath and count a million.
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This is very easy!!!! Take a lemon, cut it in half, squeeze the juice directly into your mouth and swallow. This works everytime for me.
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Don't know why this works but it works for me:
Simply press your finger quite hard into the soft bit in under the back of your ear, where your jaw/ear/neck meet. Apply pressure for about a minute - it aches a little bit but works!
Andy, Bristol
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This cure for hiccups has NEVER failed.
You will need help.
Place a finger in both ears
Get someone to hold your nose and put a glass of water to your lips which you need to drink in one.
Guaranteed cure
Chalky
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I have always found ENO's works if you drink while in full fizz with little water, Try it!!
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Botox injections may stop the spams....but consult your doctor first!!!
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A cure for hiccups is to put a finger in each ear and drink as much water as you can with someone holding the glass. It always works for me
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very quick and easy!
drink a cup or two of water slowly and that always cures my hicups!!
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i found that if i put my fingers in my ears and drink some water at the same time hiccupd go
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When I was at school a common cure was to breathe in holding your breath for 10 seconds. At the same time as you breath out say purple. Do this three times and you should be cured. It works for me and all the other people who have tried it. Hope this helps. Also have you tried satnding upside down withyour head in jelly and saying the alphabet backwards. I found this one on the internet.
Sophy , Southampoton
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MALT VINEGAR
Hiccup cure: 1 Tea spoon of malt vinegar.
Found this out @ uni from a mate; has served me well over last 5 years never failed. Apparently is an old Indian cure. It is all about the chemical reaction that takes place.
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How to cure hiccups. Get someone to hold a glass of water in front of you. Put your fingers in your ears, and sip the water slowly.
It does work!
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I have a 100% Cure.
Take a deep breath and take a gulp of water dont swallow! Tip your head back and open your throat and close your wind pipe, Let the water sit there if you hiccup you will choke and the body naturally will not allow it to happen. I use this technique and it has never failed but you have to do it properly and you have to trust it as it could be dangerous.
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Recite your nine times table out loud.
I worked in a gastro-pub for years and the merrier customers often suffered :)
It's to do with controlling your breathing and concentrating on something else. I think this only works in public, but haven't tested it.
Love
Anna
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i think to cure hiccups you should go out on a bender and have a kebab on the home. hopefully this should do the trick.
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sit down, stick your index fingers in your ears and get somebody else to feed you a glass of water. 100% guaranteed.
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Have you tried getting someone to press the place (the just beyond the fleshy bit) on your hands between thumb and first finger? Must be done to both hands firmly at the same time
It works for me :o)
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take a teaspoon of sugar
good luck
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One way that I have found that always cures my hiccups is to breathe in fairly slowly, taking care not to gulp and then without breathing out drink water, but it is very important to take two or three good swallows, dont cause yourself any discomfort doing this, then breathe out normally, it always works for me and always for other people that I have told, it is absolutely painless and not in the least bit strange, I think it is the swallowing action that does the trick
Denise
Stoke-on-Trent
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I find that the following cures my hiccups:
Breathe in deeply and hold it. Then breathe in further (don't exhale)
Keep breathing in until you can't breathe in any further and hold it for a while.
This should hopefully work.
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It always works for my daughter who has a lot of hiccups, try eating a couple of pieces of dairy milk chocolate, i don't know why but it gets rid of them.
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After much trial and error I have now managed to cure my hiccups every time I get them. My family and friends now use this technique and have the same success.
How to do it...
Have a glass of water at hand.
Take a deep breath in and hold it. Sip the water and swallow it one sip at a time. Sip and swallow, sip and swallow as many time as you can, in quick succession, until you can't hold your breath any more.
At this point breath out and follow 'sip and swallow' as before but this time it is after the 'out' breath (ie. do not breath in again just yet). Continue to sip and swallow untill you can't do it any more then stop and breath in as normal.
After this you should be cured! It will probably help to read the instructions to try and understand them first. It may take a quick practice run but it has not failed me once.
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The way I always get rid of hiccups is to put my arms straight down by my side and gradually bring your arms up to shoulder height inhaling all of the time. Hold this position for a short time still holding your breath this lifts the diaphagm and then exhale and slowly bring your arms down by your side.
This has always worked for me and anybody else I have shown how to do.
Best of luck
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alright, sounds a bit daft, well you'll see.
a long kiss.
that's it. i assume it helps with breathing, muscle and mind control, the amount of oxygen taken in and a feel good factor. it HAS worked every time.
a long kiss though.
if it doesn't, well what's the harm.
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I had hiccups for a week once 10 years ago when i 1st started going out with agirl who has now become my wife.
we tried all known remedies and also visited the hospital as it was getting very painful so feel really sorry for this guy.
honestly the cure we found was straight forward, sex it was very unnatural doing it with hiccups but after having sex they disappeared
(i swear this is the truth)
even if it doesn't work it is always worth a try
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I am sure Chris' condition requires medical intervention but this has always worked for me and for the people I have advised to try it. So it may help someone and if it helped Chris that would be great. Simply suck a sugar lump. If you don't have lump sugar (and who does nowadays?) put a spoon of sugar on your tongue and hold it against the top of your mouth and suck letting it dissolve slowly. By the time the sugar has gone so have the hiccups. Good luck!
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hiccups:
This is from the BMJ which i have also used only on twice in over 38 years of medical practice but it worked!
BMJ 1999;319:976 ( 9 October )
Filler
An unusual treatment
Intractable hiccups
John Macdonald, consultant physician, Kilmarnock.
The telephone rang one evening.
"Robert, I haven't seen you since your hospital retiral do. You've had hiccups for 10 daysthat must be really grim. My bright ideas? Well, have you tried all the usual folk remedies? Chlorpromazine? No use? Mmm, sounds difficult. But you're keeping well otherwise? Good. I'll try the Oxford Textbook of Medicine. Hang on a moment. It says `wide range of remedies proposednone pre-eminently effectivehaloperidol, metoclopramide, clonazepam, baclofen, anticonvulsants. There may be phrenic nerve crush.' That sounds a bit much." Then a very rusty synapse fired.
One of the highlights of my medical school career many moons ago had been my elective period spent in west Africa, under an annual bursary scheme between University College Hospital (UCH) and the Medical Research Council (MRC). I had assumed that this arrangement had derived from high minded largesse. However, Professor Lord Rosenheim was able to tell me how it had actually started.
Just as he was starting as professor, the director of the MRC's west Africa unit was flown in with intractable hiccups for two weeks. The usual remedies all failed, and after a fortnight in UCH the medical team was getting desperate. One evening the patient said to his ward sister that his hiccups were less severe on a full stomach. She then gave him methylcellulose to fill his stomach and the hiccups stopped immediately. He was dispatched back to west Africa with a large box of methylcellulose. In his gratitude he set up an arrangement for medical electives to his unit in west Africa. So my memorable elective had been founded on hiccups, plus the therapeutic power of methylcellulose.
Methylcellulose. I wondered, might it work for Robert? I felt slightly embarrassed telling him such an odd story, but he seemed keen to try. An excited telephone call came back the next day. It had worked. A few minutes after he took three sachets of methylcellulose in 300 ml of warm water the hiccups had stopped for good. A Medline search revealed nothing. Was it just a fluke? I doubt it. It would hardly pass muster as evidence based medicine and certainly not as a double blind or controlled trial. Detailed subset analysis might post the intriguing question: does it work only on doctors?
Perhaps I should end with the usual call for further trials with larger patient numbers. But two patients in 30 years suggests that it's going to be a long business.
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To cure hiccups - You must stand very upright with your back against a wall. Slowly start to stretch your head back while keeping the rest of your body very still. Do this until you are looking at the ceiling directly above your head. This allows your trachea to be completely open and straight. Remain in this position for one to three minutes and the hiccups will be gone.
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A teaspoon of vinegar and sugar. Vinegar at the front and sugar at the back. Works every time
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Chris
You should try this.
Three drops of "essential oil of fennel" (from the local health shop) in a small tumbler of boiled, then cooled, water.
here's what you do;
boil the water... pour into tumbler... add a teaspoon of honey... wait for a minute or so for the water to cool then add the drops of essential oil... sip slowly.
good luck
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cure for hiccups go to docs ask for prescription for chlorpromazine tablets its a tranquiliser that has use in stopping hiccups hope this helps all the best tk
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My cure for hiccups is-
Take a deep breathe
Hold the breathe
Tuck your chin tight into your chest and swallow
It usually works after the first couple of times
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To cure hiccoughs thoroughly and completely (stone dead in its tracks!), take one tablespoonful of vinegar (any vinegar, though white is prefereable) straight down undiluted.
It will 'kill' one's hiccoughs in its tracks.
Surefire!
WG
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my cure is to take a teaspoon of sugar then add malt vinegar on the spoon and drink! Horrible combination but works every time
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hiccups are caused by the diaphram, so to cure them, you need to see a singing teacher and learn some breathing techniques. that should help!!
Jen
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Hiccups are a contraction of the diaphragm if I am correct, (even if I'm not it still works!!!,) thus if you put both arms up in the air outstretched above you, it allows the diaphragm space to manouver, so stand up, put both arms straight in the air and have a friend hold a BIG glass of water to sufferer's mouth; they must gulp down the water in big gulps continously without taking any breats inbetween, until they feel they are completley out of breath and about to faint, breathe shallow until breath is normalised again. RELIEF!!
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As a cure for hiccoughs - try drinking a glass of water from the other side of the glass. This entails leaning over the glass and drinking with your head upside down. It always works for me.
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I am a Bowen Technique practitioner and teacher. I teach specific Bowen moves for clients to practice on themselves and for students to perform on clients that can help get rid of the hiccups.
It is easier and safer for it to be demonstrated and taught than trying to explain it here, and I'm happy to show you!
Best wishes
Jo
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I know this sounds crazy, but it really does work... Ask someone to squeeze the cuticle part of the middle finger on the right hand and concentrate on each others eyes. I think it is to do with pressure points and distraction! I'm no expert, but whenever I have tried this on someone, their hiccups have gone within seconds!!!
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I would like to confirm what 'lighttony' at No.75 states. My brother-in-law had hiccups for 2 weeks with all the same other symtoms. He tried more or less every possible way for a cure. Eventually saw his doctor who prescribed 'chlorpromazine' which knocked him out for 12 hours. When he awoke - CURED and has not had them since (18months)
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I know 2 ways to stop hiccups:
1. Get a cup of cold water, get someone else to hold it to your mouth, put your fingers in your ears and then sip the water about 10 times in reasonably quick succession.
or
2. Lie down backwards over a chair with arms reaching to the floor and hold your breath for 15-20 seconds
Both of these have never failed to work for me.
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My cure for hicups.
Sit on the edge of your chair.
Take a good deep breath in (but slowly until lungs feel they are full up) and hold.
Fold your arms tightly under your rib cage and bend forward (holding your breath all the time).
When you feel you have held your breath long enough, sit up slowly and release your arms slowly and breath out slowly.
If whilst bending forward you hicup, sit up and start again.
When i do this i feel i am stopping my diaphram from moving and calming down the muscle reflex and calming my breathing.
Always works for me.
good luck
sue
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Very similar to at least one other suggested remedy.
Take a lemon, quarter it (leaving the peel on) and then put that quarter into your mouth, chew it up and then swallow the lot. On normal hiccoughs it works every time!
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Get a glass of water with a straw ,
then put your hands over your ears (press hard) and drink the water.
It works for me,hope it works for you.
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I have a simple failsafe way to stop hiccups. You need a friend to help! Place your finger in your ear with firm pressure and get your friend to do the same in your other ear . Now drink a glass a water without taking a breath. Hey presto, the hiccups WILL CEASE!!!!
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My Grandad told me this and it really works!!
2 people required
Place each thumb on your ears to close them up, using your index fingers at the same time block your nose. Using the second person get them to pour water into your month for you to swallow, a gulping action will occur but this is normal, take as many mouthfuls as you can. Sometimes you may need to do this twice as the first time can turn into a bit of a laugh....
Hope this helps, it does me and my family.
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From Margaret in Lincoln
I have suffered from hiccups all my life from time to time and this always works for me:
Put 3 to 4 heaped teaspoons of sugar in a mug. Add boiling water to half fill the mug and stir until sugar is dissolved. Sip rapidly as hot as is bearable (the hotter the better but don't burn your lips !) until all the drink is gone. If you hiccup whilst drinking, don't worry, just carry on and drink as quickly as possible. I hope this works for you Chris. Good luck. Hiccups are no joke.
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The cure is quite simple,,,,
Stand up
Breathe in as much air as possible (ready to burst) !!
hold this from the diaphram until you really
have to let it out do so very slowly counting
down from 10 just let it EEK out,very very slowly
and you will feel the blockage clearing,then when all the air is out,,,,,,,, relax until you have to breath again,. then do so again very slowly...
completely relax for a few minutes,,,,,,, It should
be "gone" if not
try again from the start, it might need a couple of
tries,,,,,
ps you need to Concentrate ,,,,, No distractions
of any kind ,,,, it works better if you are alone..
Good Luck
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Hiccups -
This works on animals and people.
Patient stands 2' from a wall facing it. Outstretch the arms towards wall putting palms of hands onto the wall. Patient takes deep breath in while person behind patient presses index finger into patient's back either side of spine - about 2" below the 'wings', then moves index fingers in opposite small circular movements while patient exhales until breath gone. The hiccups should have gone too..... Something to do with the acupuncture points etc.
Di
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Hiccups.
About 30 years ago,I had hiccups ,day and night, for over a week.After several unsuccessful attempts at a cure and a stay in hospital,I was treated successfully with opium by my old family GP.
When ever I now get hiccups I immediately take "Rescue Remedy Spray"
Hope this is of help.
Regards Morris.
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hiccups
I dont get them to often but when I do
I take a tablespoon of normal malt viniga
YUK But it works
I have told a few people about it and it worked on them as well.
Its the king of thing you have in the cupboard anyway.
GOOD LUCK
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All the people who wrote about putting your fingers in your ears and drinking water were right. It works every time.
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Oh, and it even works with beer!
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The best cure for hiccups I know is this.
Get a friend to help you with this, and he/she stands at your side.
Breath out slowly, and completely as you bend slightly forward (which helps empty your lungs) - then hold it while you count to ten.
As you do this, your friend moves closer, places one hand in the middle of your back, and forms the other hand into a fist, placing it in front of your solar plexus and applies firm force as you slowly breath in, counting to 50 and staightening up all the time. Try and make the breath intake take the full 50 seconds - try first this if it helps.
Hold your breath - as your friend keeps the firm pressure - for a further 10 seconds.
This procedure overcomes the involuntary spasms of the diaphragm.
BBC blog manager - please email me if this doesn't work, as I shall be at a meeting tomorrow night and will miss the show (or I could try the 'watch it again' feature....).
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This cure is very simple and works every time: Eat one teaspoonful of granulated sugar.
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A cure for hiccups might be either... living here in rainy cumbernauld for a while over the cold dark windy dreech winter months...when you get through the other end of it you might realize that any affliction you might have is an event or a godsend.
Or more seriously try and get yourself a lovely warm hot-toddy made with fine malt whiskey, cloves, honey and a tiny drop of lemon if needed. You will sleep like the wee baby Jesus right up 'till Christmas if anything.
Good luck.
stephthepotter
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HI again, I forgot to mention the boiled water of course...and remember to place a teaspoon in the glass before adding the boiled water to prevent the glass from cracking.
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hiccoughing. my solution is not mentioned by others but has always worked on short term sufferers. I have not tried it on "permanent" sufferers so do not know if it is effective with them. No drinks, shocks or physical effort or contact is involved, just a 2 or 3 minute conversation and it can be done on the phone. if your sufferer wants to try it perhaps you could check my bona fides after which he could phone me. I think it is worth a try to control such an irritating reflex. I am 77 and offer the help if wanted.
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My solution for hiccups and many other complaints is to use EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). It's a free healing system based on the same principles as acupuncture but without the needles - you just tap on certain parts of your body.
You can see a video about it on their website www.emofree.com
You can also search for "hiccoughs" or "hiccups" and see how it has cured this for other people.
You can then either download the free manual and do it yourself or find a practitioner.
Pete from Sunderland
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There are several medicines that can be tried for the treatment of hiccups. These are listed in the BNF under the section palliative care. As with all medication there are potential side effects that he might experience and drug interactions so the decision to try these should be made jointly after discussion with a doctor who is aware of his full medical history.
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I would give Zantac a try, it will cure your heartburn and with this under control possibly your hiccups. Zantac can be purchased from all chemists over the counter, take a full cause of tablets morning and night for a week, then as required, if you feel heartburn returning.
Good luck.
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After watching the show I looked up my book Healing herbs and came up with this... The word "dill" comes from old Norse meaning "to lull", due to the belief in the herbs soothing and sedative effect,especially for crying babies suffering from colic. The ancient Greeks used Dill as a remedy for hiccups.
The Ancient Greeks got a lot right so perhaps this would work? I hope so,its worth a try.
Best of Luck in your quest for hiccup remedy.
Anne Edwards Lossiemouth
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I have 2 things that may cure hiccups.
1. a spoonful of sugar placed in the mouth and sucked slowly and swallow slowly as it melts. This has always worked for me.
2. My wife says.. stand still with arms by your side, dont move as someone else holds a glass of water to your mouth as you sip it.
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Dear Chris
I am suffering to, though only 11 months. I too have tried everything to man and beast.
I have found through my pro active GP that a cocktail of domperidone, omeprozole and baclofen have now given me breaks of up to two days, with spurts of hiccups now and again.This is after many drug trials. The Omeprozole may be of benefit for your acid reflux and give you the opportunity to at least eat.
Hope yours and my misery end soon.
Trev
Devon
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Yet another "this has never failed!" idea. It's worked well for me and people I've suggested it to.
Acupoint no. 10 is just behind the thumbnail, on the side opposite the fingers. It's mainly used with headaches, colds, back pain and eye problems, but it can work for hiccups too.
I apply pressure to it using the thumb on my left hand, supporting my right thumb with the index finger on my left, and hold it for about 30 seconds. My breathing automatically slows down and relaxes and the hiccups almost always stop dead.
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Hi, this is Jeni from Mold [it grows on you!]
Has Chris tried homeopathy for his hiccup problem?
I have been researching it in my books.
There is a specific remedy called: Magnesia phosphorica 6c which is recomended for obstinate hiccups,sore chest and retching.
I have photocopied some more information if you would like it.
Homeopathy is available on the national health.
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Holding the breath isn't enough. To stop hiccups, take a very deep breath and in the process push the diaphram down and the abdomen out (make a pot-belly!), and hold the breath. This works by stopping the diaphram from contracting and succeeds about 2 times out of 3 times.
I feel very sorry for Chris Sands, and really hope he finds a cure.
Perhaps he might want to consider a reputable hypnotist. Perhaps the BBC might consider getting someone like Paul McKenna or similar involved for Chris on the One Show. So many things are curable with hypnosis - there is even a surgeon who does orthopaedic surgery (no anaesthetic) with just hypnosis.
Hypnosis is very powerful and possibly might help.
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just say.. 'hiccup. go on hiccup..' and force them to do it.. they should find it almost impossible!
i works with me and everyone else i know!
hope that one helps!!!
:)
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I've always cured hiccups by the following method: take a glass of water about two thirds full, hold the glass in one hand, bend forward and drink from the wrong side (not the side nearest to you) of the glass ie your chin is almost in the water and you have to slurp up some of the liquid. Swallow and stand up.
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For a cure to hiccups simply............ sip gulp gulp sip use water is probably best it's a guaranteed cure from my boyfriend, Gary's nan Grace.
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This is the ONLY cure that really works for me:
Fill a glass with water and ask a friend or loved one to hold it to your lips (or use a straw if you're alone) and, whilst firmly blocking your ears with your fingers, drink at least a dozen to 20 sips in fairly rapid succession - no stopping between sips! Good luck!!
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My cure for hiccups:
Take a deep breath then swallow three times without breathing.
It is not easy to do, but it always works for me!
Barbie Doll
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According to my mother, (who's into her traditional chinese medicine:)the reason for the hiccups might be air. my dad had a similar thing where he had hiccups for a few days that stopped him from sleeping during the nights. mum gave him a ginger drink and it cured them.
to make the drink:
- grate a piece of ginger (roughly about three quarters the size of a lemon)
- boil the ginger in a cup of hot water. you need enough ginger to make your mouth feel hot and chilli, otherwise it won't work)
- and then drink the water.. if its too hot, add a little sugar or honey.
hope it works!
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Place a cold, long-handled spoon in a large glass of water. Drink the water slowly, ensuring that the handle of the spoon touches your cheek at all times. This cure for hiccups has worked on almost every occasion for me - I hope it does the same for anyone else who's troubled by them.
Liz
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My long-time party trick to stop hiccups (hiccoughs?) has already been mentioned which is to put your fingers in the ears of the person with hiccups, holding down the tragus, and get them to drink from a glass of water for around 45 seconds to a minute. In my experience this works equally well with beer or wine but has more interesting side-effects. I was given to understand this method works because the diaphragm is in spasm and in order to stop it you must control the air pressure by using the upper orifices. So by holding closed the ears, and drinking but more importantly swallowing with the mouth, this only leaves the nasal passage open to get the pressure within the body restablilised.
Et voila! NEVER fails
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Hi guys - HICCUP CURE
Most definately the best cure for Hiccups is to fill a large glass full of water. Bend over and drink the whole glass from the far side of the glass. Do this until they've gone - It works every time.
Let me know if it works
Janine
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Amputation, it's (note the punctuation) a guaranteed cure for almost anything; Nail biting, Hay fever, nosebleed, headaches, shaving rash, ear ache, tennis elbow, chilblains, and so on.
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Amputation, it's (note the punctuation) a guaranteed cure for almost anything; Nail biting, Hay fever, nosebleed, headaches, shaving rash, ear ache, tennis elbow, chilblains, smoking, and so on.
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Hi chris m8 my cure for hiccups and i had them for a couple of weeks myself, and like u i tried everything which of course did not work, then i tried this which one of my customers gave me, shes long gone now but her cure still goes forth helping people throughout the world, and this is it.....Go to most health shops and get a box of Thompsons Malted slippery elm food, to get the best mix out of it,fill a cup with milk pour into a pan leaving a small amount in the cup to make a paste, put one heaped teaspoon in the cup and with the back of the spoon make a paste,with the milk in the pan add a good pinch of cinnamon and a good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, keep your eye on it as it will boil over as soon as you turn your back just before it boils take of the heat and pour onto the paste mixture in the cup, and then pour back into the pan , you might have to do this a couple of times to get all the paste out of the cup,once you have done this get a stick blender put it into the pan and give it a good blitzing with it this will also incorporate all the cinnamon and nutmeg, theres no need to add anything else just tip into a cup and drink its quite nice really,and is also a food suppliment to, i drank copious amounts of it when i was going through chemotherapy and it really helped me as i could'nt keep stuff down, take it 3 times a day but once your right just have a cup at bedtime thats what i do now its very good for all sorts of stomach and gullet problems, due to the fact it leaves a soothing slippery membrane on your inside and gives it protection from the acids, which lets your insides recover at ther own pace, anyway let us know how you get on Chris....C U Mike.
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Hiccups can be treated easily using Emotional Freedom Technique - EFT for short.
The basics for this technique are easy and can be learned by downloading a free manual from the creator.
This can be done by looking at emofree.com.
I did not create this technique, I am merely an EFT therapist and Trainer.
If the chap on the programme wants free treatment from me then please get him to get in touch.
My contact details can be found on eft-changeyourlife.co.uk
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I'm also an EFT Practitioner and would like to offer help to Chris in the form of therapy.
Chris can learn the technique from the emofree.com website and there is lots of information on there if he wants to give it a go, if he would prefer to have a therapist's help I'd be more than happy to assist.
My details are on my website www.lifechange-therapy.co.uk.
Best Wishes to Chris
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Hi I agree with the first person who posted a blog apart from a couple of things.
I have used this method for stopping hiccups for 30 odd years not only on myself but all my friends and I have not had a failure yet.
Have a glass of water in your hand, wait until you have just hiccuped then take a deep breath in through your mouth hold it (if you hiccup during doing this start again) once you have breathed in hold it and take a small mouthfull of water, then swallow it as slowly as you can ( this should catch the next hiccup as it is on it's way up) breathe out through your nose, then take a few deep slow breaths.
If it fails the first time again breathe in through your mouth hold it take a small mouth of water swallow it as slowly as you can and breath out through your mouth.If nessarsary reapet a couple of times, if they persist wait 15 minutes and do it again. GOOD LUCK. I would like to know if it works for you.Regards Vivien
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Sorry I am Vivien I have just posted blog 126 Iv'e not done this before, I live in Normandy France and my comments are about HICCUPS
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hiya
just would like to say welldone to chris :)
just a cure that always works for me :
look at chris and say i will give you £2 to hiccup NOW !!
it works for me . . hopeully it will work for chris
Jodie
plymouth
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Try drinking a whole glass of water with your fingers in your ears. To do this use a straw or get someone to hold the glass while you drink. It really does work, something to do with the pressure in your ears...
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Earlier today I had the hiccups , and it got me thinking about this story. My mum told me to do this cure and within 2-3 minutes they were gone.
Breath in through your mouth counting to 4..
Hold your breath and count to 4
Then finally breath out counting to 4
Do this several times untill your hiccups have stopped.
If breathing is interupted by hiccups just carry on doing as you were before.
and hey presto CURED :)
Beth
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Hi!
I'm a practioner of traditional Chinese medicine. I think acupuncture is likely to help. When i worked in a hospital in China, we treated a lot of patients with this problem. In many cases it started after surgery, and patients were refered to us by the surgeons. Acupuncture works very well for this problem. Having operation for this problem is not a wise choice. Be cautious!
P Zhang
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If you want to have a try, I'll be happy to help you. In most cases i have experienced, it has instant effect. In China, orthodox western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine work together. Please do pay attention to this old medicine with thousands of years history.
P_Zhang
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