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Hiccups explained

How to Stop Hiccups: Gentle Steps and What to Know

2 min read · Published 29 October 2026

Written from the public health sources listed below. This article has not yet been reviewed by a clinician. See our editorial policy.

There is no proven method that stops hiccups for everyone, and most bouts end by themselves within minutes.[1][2] If you would like to try something, start with the gentle steps below.

Gentle Steps to Try

  1. Pause eating and drinking. Stop for a moment. Swallowing air or overfilling the stomach keeps the trigger going.[3]
  2. Sit comfortably and breathe slowly and normally. Relax your shoulders. Slow, steady breathing is calming and carries no risk.
  3. Try small sips of water. Only if swallowing feels comfortable. Sip, do not gulp. Sipping cold water is among the ideas health sources list.[2][1]
  4. Consider a brief, gentle breath-hold. Only if it feels safe and comfortable, for a few seconds. Never force it, and stop if you feel uneasy or light-headed.[4][2]
  5. Give your mind something else to do. A short walk, a show or a book can help you wait it out.[5]

Be realistic. These steps do not work for everyone, and the research behind most hiccup remedies is limited.[1][6] If hiccups stop after a few minutes, it may simply be that they were going to stop anyway.

Other Ideas People Mention

You may see these suggested:

  • Pulling your knees toward your chest. Listed as a common home method, though like the others it is not proven.[4] If you try it, do so slowly and only if it is comfortable.
  • Gargling cold water. Listed by some sources as an unproven option.[1]

Other tricks, such as biting a lemon, pulling your tongue or swallowing sugar, are listed by some sources too,[2][1] but we leave them out because the evidence is thin and some can be unsuitable (for example, for people managing diabetes or with swallowing difficulties). See the full remedy review.

What to Avoid

  • Do not frighten or startle anyone. It is not reliably effective and can cause harm.[4]
  • Do not do anything that could cause choking or interfere with normal breathing, including breathing into a paper bag.
  • Do not force a long breath-hold or push on your eyes or neck.
  • Do not make yourself vomit.

Can You Prevent Hiccups?

Not always, because many bouts have no obvious cause. But it may help to eat more slowly, avoid very large meals, and go easy on alcohol, fizzy drinks and very hot or cold items.[4] See hiccups after eating for practical ideas.

When to Get Help

See a doctor if hiccups last more than 48 hours, keep returning, or make it hard to eat, sleep or breathe.[7][5] Get urgent care for severe chest pain, significant breathing difficulty, fainting or new neurological symptoms.[4] Read persistent hiccups for what to expect.

For babies, hiccups are usually normal and not distressing. See hiccups in babies rather than using adult remedies.

Coming soon

Explore the Practical Hiccups Video Guide

Want a short, calm walkthrough you can watch while it happens? See the DrHiccups Practical Relief Guide.

Educational only. The guide does not replace medical advice or treatment.

See the Guide DetailsWatch the free animation

References

  1. Hiccups. Cleveland Clinic.
  2. Hiccups. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
  3. Hiccups. NI Direct (content adapted from the NHS website).
  4. Hiccups. Healthdirect Australia.
  5. Are hiccups dangerous? UPMC HealthBeat.
  6. Moretto EN, Wee B, Wiffen PJ, et al. Interventions for treating persistent and intractable hiccups in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2013;(1):CD008768.
  7. Hiccups. NHS 111 Wales (content adapted from NHS UK).

Medical disclaimer: this article is general information, not medical advice.