Hiccup
Hiccups are usually harmless, and will cease spontaneously. However, they may occur in connection with serious diseases. Also, in a debilitated patient, the fatigue of continuous hiccupping may endanger life.
WHAT TO DO
No remedy is always satisfactory, but in most cases the ailment will respond to one of the following:
1. Apply ice to the back of the victim's neck.
2. Have the victim swallow small pieces of ice.
3. Grasp his tongue with a napkin in hand and pull it firmly forward.
4. Place the puckered opening of a medium-sized paper bag over the victim's mouth and nose, holding it tightly in place while the patient breathes for a minute or two into the bag. This will increase the carbon dioxide in the patient's lungs, a buildup which may terminate the hiccups.
5. Instruct the victim to take a deep breath and hold it as long as possible. This exercise also causes carbon dioxide buildup in the lungs.
