Hiccups are a reflex action; which means that we do not have any control over them. Hiccups are a sudden, involuntary squeezing of the diaphragm, the main breathing muscle under the lungs, which results in sucking the air quickly into the lungs thereby snapping and shutting glottis above the voice-box (larynx). This snapping makes the sound of a hiccup. Hiccups will usually stop on their own. Continuous hiccups lasting for more than a day or two may indicate a cause of an underlying disease, which needs medical intervention.

Diaphragm is the main breathing muscle under the lungs. Hiccups start from the diaphragm. Hiccups are a sudden, involuntary squeezing of the diaphragm which results in sucking the air quickly into the lungs thereby snapping and shutting glottis above the voice-box (larynx). This snapping makes the sound of a hiccup. Generally hiccups last for a few minutes but sometimes they may last for days or weeks. Continuous hiccups lasting for more than a day or two may indicate a cause of an underlying disease, which needs medical attention.

Gargling with water also serves as an excellent home remedy for treating the problem of hiccups.

Mix 2 tsp common salt in a cup of plain yogurt (curd, yoghurt) and eat. In most cases, it is a good remedy.

Boil 1/2 tsp of cardamom fresh powder in 2 cup water till about 1 cup water remains, Sieve it and drink a glassful of this warm water.

Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) Mix two teaspoonsful of baking soda, two teaspoonsful of aromatic spirits of ammonia with four ounces of peppermint water. Dose: one tablespoonful; repeat if necessary.

One of the most popular home remedies for hiccups involves breathing into a brown paper bag. The original belief was that by breathing into a small bag sealed around the mouth, the concentrated carbon dioxide would somehow calm the twitching diaphragm. Others believed that the calming effect of controlled breathing would relax the diaphragm and end the hiccups. Neither concept appears to work very effectively, but some modern practitioners suggest breathing hard into the bag ten times. The forced breathing may restore the natural contractions of the diaphragm.

Take a large dessert spoon and half fill the spoon with salt. Squrt lime juice onto the salt untill the spoon is full. Eat the entire contents including all the salt.

Drink some chamomile tea that has been steeped for at least half an hour. The muscle relaxant properties of chamomile work to ease the contractions in your diaphragm that are causing the hiccups.