Hiccups are one of life’s great equalisers.

Everyone has been afflicted by a sudden attack at some point, usually at the most inconvenient times.

Once you’re hiccupping uncontrollably – often with the occasional embarrassing burp thrown into the mix – people will flock from all corners of the room to share their tried and tested cures.

Holding your breath, having a friend scare you, or drinking a glass of cold water upside down are the most popular.

Then there’s standing with your arms above your head while someone feeds you water (this is a crowd-pleaser at parties) or thinking about a white horse.

I’m not sure how that last one works, but I’m told it’s a real thing.

Hiccups are so common and so annoying that even science has weighed in to find the ultimate cure. But before we go into that, via The Huffington Post, here’s why you hiccup:

“The reason behind hiccups is one of the great unknowns in the health world,” said Michael Richardson, primary care provider and office director at One Medical.

Okay, that’s not helpful.

There are a few hypotheses, though. “Most theories center on the ‘hiccup reflex arc,’ which includes the phrenic nerve (the nerve that activates your diaphragm), the vagus nerve (the major nerve in your autonomic nervous system), and several other nerves that activate the muscles in your chest and larynx,” Richardson added.

That’s better.

The trigger is different for everyone, which is why they can seem so random. In most cases, they will eventually go away on their own, but if you’re keen to get rid of them fast, these are your options:

“There are not many high-quality studies looking at how to cure hiccups … but the ones out there support some of the home remedies we frequently hear about, such as holding your breath or being scared,” Richardson said.

“The mechanism isn’t well understood, but they’re all probably an attempt to reset the hiccup reflex arc or alter our breathing pattern.”

If you’re that person who always recommends holding your breath, you have permission to feel smug now.

Other cures, which you might not have thought of, include acupuncture and maybe even sex. In one case, sex cured someone’s hiccups, and it’s unlikely to work for everyone, but if you have a willing partner, you might as well give it a try.

If your hiccups last longer than 48 hours, you have my condolences and you should seek medical attention.

For everyone else, it’s probably worth sticking with those tried-and-true home remedies when you want to get rid of them.

Mix it up on occasion – drink water upside down on a white horse.

[source:huffingtonpost]