Drinking straw device ‘instant’ cure for hiccups say scientists

Sipping water through an L-shaped ‘suction and swallow tool’ cured 92% of attacks, according to study

From holding your breath to having a friend shout “boo!”, there is no shortage of alleged cures for hiccups. Now scientists say they have found a better solution: a drinking straw device.

When you get hiccups – or singultus as they are known in medicine – the diaphragm and intercostal muscles suddenly contract. The subsequent abrupt intake of air causes the opening between the vocal folds – known as the glottis – to shut, resulting in a “hic” sound, often to the embarrassment of the afflicted and the amusement of others.

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