Hiccups
Your diaphragm having a twitchy moment, with your voice box snapping shut for the “hic”. Almost every bout stops on its own within minutes to hours. Here’s what helps, and when to worry.
Quick answer: To stop hiccups, try a breath-hold “top-up”: breathe in fully and hold for 10 seconds, sip in a little more air twice, then breathe out slowly. Sipping ice-cold water or swallowing a teaspoon of sugar are harmless to try. Most bouts stop within minutes to hours. See your GP if hiccups last more than 2 days.
The hiccups ladder
Most people never get past step 2. Steps 3 to 5 are for hiccups that keep coming back or last more than 2 days.
- Step 1 · Self-careBreath-hold “top-up”Breathe in fully and hold for 10 seconds. Without breathing out, sip in a little more air and hold 5 seconds, once more for 5, then breathe out slowly.
- Works
- Not tested in trials; often stops a bout in small reports
- Cost
- Free
- How long
- Under a minute; repeat once or twice
- Watch for
- Light-headedness if you overdo it. Sit down to try it.
Cheaper than every hiccup gadget on the internet, and about as proven.
- Step 2 · Self-careOther harmless tricksSip or gargle ice-cold water, swallow a teaspoon of sugar, hug your knees to your chest, or bear down as if straining.
- Works
- Not tested in trials; helps some people, evidence is anecdotal
- Cost
- Free
- How long
- Minutes
- Watch for
- Skip pressing on the eyeballs: it can damage the eye. Scaring people isn’t proven either.
Pick one and commit. All five at once is a party trick, not a treatment.
- Step 3 · PharmacyReflux treatment (antacid or a proton pump inhibitor such as omeprazole)For hiccups that keep coming back, reflux is a common culprit.
- Works
- No good trials for hiccups; helps when reflux is behind it, no use for a one-off bout
- Cost
- About $10–25 for a pharmacy pack
- How long
- 2–4 weeks to judge
- Watch for
- Heartburn with trouble swallowing, vomiting or weight loss needs a GP, not just a tablet.
Sometimes the hiccup is just your oesophagus lodging a complaint.
- Step 4 · PrescriptionMedicines for persistent hiccups (baclofen, gabapentin or metoclopramide)For hiccups lasting more than 2 days that won’t quit, once causes are looked for.
- Works
- Small trials only; helps some people, evidence is weak
- Cost
- Private script, about $15–40
- How long
- Days to a few weeks
- Watch for
- Drowsiness and dizziness: no driving until you know how you react. Metoclopramide can rarely cause muscle spasms.
Reserved for hiccups that outstay their welcome by days, not minutes.
- Step 5 · SpecialistFinding the causeBloods, chest imaging or a gastroscopy for hiccups lasting weeks, to find reflux, medicine side effects or other illness.
- Works
- No trials; treating the cause usually fixes the hiccups
- Cost
- Public is free; private specialist about $150–300 a visit, part-rebated by Medicare with a referral
- How long
- Depends on the cause
- Watch for
- Weight loss, trouble swallowing or new nerve symptoms (see below).
Rare, but weeks-long hiccups deserve detective work, not more sugar.
Save your money
Popular, heavily marketed or often asked about, but the evidence is weak or says no.
- Scares, eyeball pressing and other internet curesNo evidence, and pressing on the eyes can hurt them. Nobody needs a surprise scare or a thumb in the eye.
- Breathing into a paper bagNo good evidence it beats a simple breath-hold, and it’s a bad idea with heart or lung problems.
- Special hiccup strawsThe only evidence is a survey of users with no comparison group, and the inventor was an author. Might work; we’d like a trial that isn’t a fan club.
- AcupunctureOnly small, low-quality studies for stubborn hiccups. Unproven, and not a reason to skip finding the cause.
What you can do
- Eat slowly, in smaller meals. Go easy on fizzy drinks, alcohol and smoking.
- New medicine and new hiccups? Ask your pharmacist: steroids and some sedatives can cause them.
- If they keep recurring, note when they happen and what you ate or drank.
See your GP if
- Hiccups last more than 2 days, or keep coming back
- They stop you eating, sleeping or talking
- You also have heartburn, trouble swallowing, tummy pain, vomiting or weight loss
- You started a new medicine shortly before
Call 000 if hiccups come with chest pain, shortness of breath, sudden weakness or numbness, trouble speaking, confusion or a severe headache.
Common questions
What is the fastest way to stop hiccups?
Try the breath-hold “top-up”: breathe in fully and hold, then sip in a little more air twice before breathing out slowly. Sipping ice-cold water, swallowing a teaspoon of sugar or hugging your knees to your chest are also harmless to try.
What causes hiccups?
Common triggers are eating too fast or too much, fizzy drinks, alcohol, smoking, and excitement or stress. Reflux and some medicines can cause hiccups that keep coming back.
When should I worry about hiccups?
See your GP if they last more than 2 days or keep coming back. Call 000 if hiccups come with chest pain, shortness of breath, sudden weakness, trouble speaking or confusion.
Why do I get hiccups after eating or drinking?
Eating or drinking quickly, fizzy drinks, alcohol and big meals stretch the stomach, which can irritate the diaphragm and trigger hiccups. Slowing down and avoiding fizzy drinks often helps.
Why do babies get hiccups?
Hiccups are very common and harmless in babies, often after feeds when they swallow air. They don’t bother most babies and stop by themselves. Burping during feeds may help; there’s no need to stop feeding.
Does holding your breath stop hiccups?
It may help some people by raising carbon dioxide levels and resetting the breathing reflex, but there’s little research. Most bouts stop within minutes whatever you do.
Helpful resources
- healthdirect Symptom CheckerNot sure if your hiccups need a doctor? Answer a few questions for advice on what to do next. Free, Australia; or call 1800 022 222, 24/7.
- Better Health Channel: HiccupsVictorian Government guide to common triggers, home remedies and when long-lasting hiccups need a doctor. Free.
- Healthify: HiccupsNew Zealand health site with plain-English tips and when to get checked (hiccups lasting over 48 hours). Free.
Evidence and more information
maladywise.com/hiccups/