Go Ad-Free
logoThe People's Perspective on Medicine

Readers Favor Both Classic and Unusual Hiccup Remedies

Q. Years ago while eating in a restaurant I started hiccupping badly. I asked the bartender for his suggestion and he gave me a slice of lime with a few drops of Angostura bitters. I sucked on the lime as instructed and the hiccups stopped immediately.

I hate hiccups, so since then I have always kept a fresh lime and a bottle of bitters on hand. This remedy has never failed me. I have tried the lime alone and the bitters alone–neither worked but the combination works like magic.

A. Thanks for the recommendation. We’ve heard of numerous hiccup remedies over the years. A wedge of lemon or lime with Angostura bitters is a bartenders’ favorite. A spoonful of granulated sugar is another old-fashioned option for getting rid of hiccups.

More recently we have heard from people who favor chocolate for hiccups. One reader wrote:

“The chocolate cure really works. I was at a hair salon when a bout of hiccups started. I looked around me for anything that might help, and I saw a box of Hershey kisses, milk and dark chocolate.

“I don’t favor dark chocolate so I took two milk chocolate kisses. I ate them but my hiccups continued so I tried two dark chocolate ones instead. I shoved them into my mouth quickly and within a minute my hiccups were gone.”

You will find other hiccup cures in our book, The People’s Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies.

Rate this article
star-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-empty
4.8- 18 ratings
About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
Tired of the ads on our website?

Now you can browse our website completely ad-free for just $5 / month. Stay up to date on breaking health news and support our work without the distraction of advertisements.

Browse our website ad-free
Join over 150,000 Subscribers at The People's Pharmacy

We're empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options.