Here are some tips.
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| | According to Guinness World Records, the longest bout of hiccups ever recorded lasted for 68 years. So the story goes, Charles Osbourne started hiccuping in 1922 and didn't stop until 1990. Don't worry though, he still managed to get married twice and father eight children.
Most of us probably don't hiccup for more than a few minutes at a time, but even a short bout of hiccups can cause quite the distraction to your day. Below, registered dietitian Jennifer Husson gives us some pro tips for avoiding this bothersome symptom. | | | | | | | Hiccup!
Ginger Wojcik
Newsletter Editor, Healthline |  | | Written by Ginger Wojcik
February 5, 2026 • 2.5 min read | | | |  | | | | Q: | I get hiccups all of the time. What causes them in the first place, and are there things I can do to stop getting them so much? | | | A: | Hiccups are involuntary spasms of your diaphragm — a big muscle located at the base of your lungs that plays a major role in breathing. When it spasms, you suddenly suck in air, which makes your vocal cords snap shut and causes that distinct hiccup sound.
The best way to avoid hiccups is to minimize triggers. These include: - Eating too much or too quickly: Eating too fast causes you to swallow air, which inflates your stomach. A very full stomach crowds and irritates the diaphragm, which can cause hiccups.
- Carbonated drinks: Soda and sparkling water release gas that expands your stomach and may irritate the diaphragm.
- Spicy foods: Those containing capsaicin, a compound in chili peppers, can overstimulate the nerves that control your breathing muscles.
- Stress and strong emotions: Feelings like excitement, fear, anxiety, and stress can lead to hiccups by interfering with regular breathing and stimulating the nerves that control the diaphragm, causing it to spasm.
- Drinking alcohol: Alcohol is an irritant to the digestive tract and can disrupt nerve signals.
- Quick changes in food temperature: Eating or drinking something very hot or cold can quickly change the temperature inside the esophagus, which stimulates nerves and causes the diaphragm to contract.
There are also some things that you can try to get rid of hiccups once you get them: - Take regular, steady breaths. You may try breathing in for a count of 5 and out for a count of 5.
- Hold your breath for 10 to 20 seconds, then breathe out slowly. Repeat as necessary.
- Drink water out of the far rim of a glass. Bend forward at the waist and tilt the glass away from you so that the water enters your mouth from the far side of the glass.
- Breathe in and out slowly through a paper bag.
- Sit down in a comfortable place, bring your knees to your chest, and lean forward. This compresses the chest by putting pressure on the diaphragm.
- Use the Valsalva maneuver.
Note: If hiccups last for more than 48 hours or interfere with your sleep or ability to eat, please consult a healthcare professional.
| | | | | Jennifer Husson, Registered Dietitian | | | Want to learn more about food, diets, cooking, or some other nutrition subject? Let us know at nutritionedition@healthline.com and we'll look into it for you! (Heads up, we may use your response in an upcoming newsletter.) | | | | | | | | What we're digesting | | đ What form of vitamin supplements offers the best absorption? Capsules, tablets, liquids, and powders — we take a look at them all. | | đĒģ 15 natural ways to reduce migraine symptoms. Note that migraine attacks may require treatment with prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medication. | | đĢ What are the symptoms of non-small cell lung cancer? Here's what you need to know. | | đ§đĢ Lessons from chronic illness. Eight tips for navigating difficult times. | | | |   | | | Until next time, |  | Take care of yourself, and we'll see
you again soon! | | | | |  | | This edition was powered by | | not having hiccups for 68 years. ️ | | | | |
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