I just always recited the
litany against hiccups (
huh?):
I must not hiccup.
Hiccups are the lung-killers.
Hiccups are the little deaths that bring total obliteration.
I will face my hiccups.
I will permit them to pass over me and through me.
And when they has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see their path.
Where the hiccups have gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Haw haw...
But seriously folks, Saige's method works rather well for me. You should try it. Self-control is a very interesting thing.
Another thing to try is to open your trachea, exhale all the air you can, hit the center of your sternum rather firmly, and (just as you hit the sternum) breathe into your stomach. Then belch/breathe out. Obviously not something for polite company. But anyhow, what does this do?
- It resets the diaphragm, which is spasming for any number of reasons and is not under conscious control
- It also resets the epiglottis, which can sometimes be responsible for the really painful hiccups, and if it gets too screwed up, will cause food and air to go down the wrong pipes.
- It allows your lungs to rest for a moment and sort of recalibrate.
Note that this does take some
practice, however, it usually
works for me. My dad, when he was still in medical school, used to take me to the
cadaver lab and let me watch while he did his research or papers or something. And he showed me the diaphragm and the epiglottis and explained all this to me. I was about 4 years old.
I still remember it.