Getting the hiccups can be a frustrating experience — but figuring out how to stop them can be even more perplexing.
It’s possible that certain types of fruit could help with the condition, according to one doctor, who posted his recommendation on TikTok.
Dr. Jeremy London, a heart surgeon based in Savannah, Georgia, uses his social media account to discuss health-related topics. (See the video at the top of this article.)
ASK A DOCTOR: ‘WHAT CAUSES HICCUPS, AND HOW CAN I GET RID OF THEM?’
“A simple and effective way to stop the hiccups — drip lemon juice or lime juice into the back of the throat,” he said in a recent video.
“It’ll stop them almost immediately.”
The doctor, who has nearly 400,000 TikTok followers, said it’s unknown why this is effective, but offered some potential reasons.
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“The first may be stimulation of the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain down to below the diaphragm,” he said.
Consuming lemon or lime juice can “reset the sensory input from the diaphragm and stop the hiccup arc,” London suggested.
This trick might also work by activating the muscles in the back of the throat or the esophagus, he added.
The doctor’s potential third reason why consuming a bit of lemon or lime juice could get rid of hiccups is the “sudden change in pitch in the back of the throat.”
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It’s also possible, however, that the hack is just a simple distraction, London said — “a sudden sensory input that stops the hiccups in their tracks.”
TikTok users on the platform thanked the doctor for his advice while also offering their own suggestions.
One user wrote, “My science teacher used to have us hold our nose and plug our ears and take a drink of water.”
Said another used, “I’ve been searching my entire life for this information.”
Hiccups are defined as the “repeated spasms of your diaphragm paired with a ‘hic’ sound from your vocal cords closing,” per the Cleveland Clinic.
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The condition typically occurs when something “irritates the nerves,” which causes the diaphragm to contract, the clinic stated.
There are also different types of hiccups.
Transient is the most common, lasting a few seconds or minutes.
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Hiccups are often caused by eating too much or too fast, eating spicy foods, drinking carbonated beverages, swallowing excessive air, smoking tobacco or cannabis, and drinking alcoholic beverages, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Some potential hiccup cures are holding your breath, sipping cold water, pressing on your eyes, pulling on your tongue, biting into a lemon, breathing into a paper bag — and swallowing a spoonful of sugar.
Fox News Digital reached out to London for further comment.
People are advised to seek medical attention if hiccups persist for hours at a time, are frequently recurring or interfere with basic function, Dr. Mark Loafman, a board-certified family physician with Cook County Health in Chicago, Illinois, told Fox News Digital previously.
While hiccups are short-lasting and totally benign most of the time, persistent episodes are associated with some chronic and sometimes serious health conditions.
These can include central nervous disorders, diabetes, kidney disease and esophageal issues, per the Mayo Clinic.
Erica Lamberg contributed reporting.
