Hiccups are caused by ischemia, or lack of blood supply to the diaphramg. As a result, the diaphramg undergoes the spasmodic periodic movements that we call hiccups.
The simplest remedy for hiccups is to hold your breath. Take a deep breath; hold the breath behind the belly button; then gradually exhale.
If you find it difficult to do this, take a paper bag, open it, hold the edges near your nose, and breathe into the bag (both exhaling and then inhaling). This will force you to inhale your own carbon dioxide, which naturally relaxes the muscles of the diaphramg. Continue for t or 2 minutes. Your hiccups should quickly be relieved.
If the above proce?dure doesn't stop the hiccupping, mix t tea?spoon honey with t teaspoon castor oil. Every 2 or 3 minutes dip your index finger into the mixture and then lick your finger.
Another simple' remedy is Alternate Nostril pranayama, slightly modified as follows:
You can do this breathing exercise for 5 minutes.
There are certain serious pathological hiccups, such as cardiac hiccups, which occur in persons having con. gestive heart failure; uremic hiccups, which occur due to renal failure (when the kidneys do not perform their function) and the resulting toxicity of uric acid in the blood; and cerebral hiccups, due to cere. bral pathology. These serious hic. cups require medical attention and treatment.
If the remedies in this section aren't helpful and your hiccups are continuing longer than two days, see your doctor.
Hiccups can also occur due to chronic constipation, bloating, and gases in the colon. If this appears to be the situation, do basti (enema),using t cup warm sesame oil for the enema Try to retain the oil for at least 2 to 3 minutes, longer if possible. The warm oil in the rectum will relax the diaphramg and internal muscles and help alleviate the hiccups.
If your hiccups are still continuing after another half hour, do a regular warm water enema.
