₦airaland Forum

The involuntary contractions of the diaphragm, popularly known as hiccups, can result from a large meal, carbonated beverages or sudden excitement. 

Everyone must have had an experience with hiccups at one point or another, and for most people, it is usually not severe and lasts only a few minutes. 

Recently, a Facebook user, Esther Mark, while sharing her experience with hiccups, insinuated a strand of wool stops hiccups.  “I quickly touched my head, and what did I find? A strand of wool on my hair to obviously stop the hiccup,” part of her post read. 

This belief is an age-long one held by many in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. Many today still believe this, as seen in a Twitter poll conducted by this researcher. From the poll result, 43% of the respondents believe this claim, 38% do not, and 19% are neutral.

This belief most likely informed the decision of the Facebook user’s husband. But how true is it? The popularity of this belief and requests prompted us to verify it. 

Verification 
The medical term for hiccups is singultus. Lifestyle factors like eating too much or too quickly, consuming carbonated drinks and spicy foods, being stressed or emotionally excited, drinking alcohol, or being exposed to quick changes in temperature could cause it. 

These types of hiccups can usually be prevented by changing your habits, like eating smaller amounts per serving, eating slower, avoiding spicy foods, drinking less alcohol, avoiding carbonated drinks, and practising relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or meditation, to reduce stress.

When hiccups become severe and last more than two days causing problems with eating, sleeping or breathing, it is time to see a doctor as it may be a sign of underlying medical conditions like gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), stroke or multiple sclerosis.

An article by health line suggests posture techniques that can help relax the diaphragm, which is responsible for hiccups. Some of these techniques include measuring breathing, holding your breath, breathing into a paper bag, hugging your knees, and compressing the chest. An article by the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) agrees with some of these techniques.

Studies have also revealed having an orgasm, and rectal massage are potential treatments for intractable hiccups. In severe cases, medications like baclofen (Gablofen), chlorpromazine (Thorazine) and metoclopramide (Reglan) are prescribed.

According to the National Organisation for Rare Diseases (NORD), treating intractable hiccups often involves drug therapy with chlorpromazine (Thorazine), haloperidol, and metoclopramide. If the hiccups occur during anaesthesia or surgery, the treatment is usually ephedrine or ketamine. Hypnosis has been used in some patients, as well as acupuncture. 

The NORD also added that surgical procedures, such as injections into the phrenic nerve or severing the phrenic nerve in the neck, have been used in cases where all other therapies have failed.

Verdict: False. Although several techniques/tricks are suggested to eliminate hiccups, placing a thread or wool on the head is not one of them. 

Conclusion 
Although several techniques or tricks have been suggested to eliminate hiccups, placing a thread or wool on the head is not part of it.  Also, looking at the cause of hiccups shows no relationship between a strand of wool/thread on the head and hiccup

Paediatricians have debunked the long-held belief that placing a strand of thread on a baby’s head will stop hiccup, stating that the practice often shared as a home remedy by well-meaning family members, had no scientific basis.

They warned that such practice could lead to unnecessary anxiety and distraction from more effective approaches, such as gentle burping or adjusting feeding positions.

The child health experts explained that hiccups in infants were a normal and often harmless reflex, caused by involuntary contractions of the diaphragm, stressing that these can occur for various reasons, including swallowing air during feeding, sudden changes in temperature, or even overfeeding.

The experts said while hiccups usually resolved on their own without the need for any serious medical intervention, they emphasised that placing strands of thread on a baby’s head had no relationship with hiccups.

According to an online medical information portal, Mayo Clinic, hiccups are repeated spasms or sudden movements of the diaphragm that cannot be controlled.

“The diaphragm is the muscle that separates your chest from your stomach area and plays an important role in breathing. A spasm in your diaphragm causes your vocal cords to suddenly close, producing a ‘hic’ sound.

“Eating a large meal, drinking alcoholic or carbonated beverages, or getting excited suddenly may cause hiccups. In some cases, hiccups may be a sign of an underlying medical issue. For most people, hiccups usually last only a few minutes,” Mayo Clinic stated.

Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise in different interviews, the experts advised parents to gently burp their babies or adjust their feeding positions whenever they experience hiccups.

Dr Adefunke Babatola

A Consultant Paediatrician and Gastroenterologist at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Eki, Adefunke Babatola, said the practice of placing a strand of thread on a baby’s head would not stop the child from having hiccups.

The specialist said that the practice was merely a superstitious belief common among many traditional African families, noting that it had no association with hiccups and had no scientific proof in medicine.

She said that hiccups, which were generally considered a common, self-limiting condition that did not require medical intervention, came as a result of certain challenges with the diaphragm and could stop if the mother changed the child’s position.

Babatola said, “There is no association between hiccups and placing a strand of thread on the baby’s anterior frontal head, the area of the head that used to go up and down when the child breathes. Hiccups come and go on their own. However, changing the position of the baby will facilitate it.

“For babies being fed exclusively, the mother can give them breast milk or extract can be given to the baby by another person other than the mother to achieve the same effect of stopping the hiccups. Or the mother should change the child’s position, and it will stop.

“Hiccups do not have any relationship with the anterior frontal head thread. Rubbing their back and rocking the baby back and forth can help them relax. This may stop the spasms that cause hiccups. Rubbing the back can also help with burping, which may help stop hiccups.

“In children, hiccups don’t pose any danger; however, if it lasts more than these few minutes or becomes persistent for up to an hour, the mother should consult a doctor.”

She added that while hiccups were not harmful to children, hiccups in adults could be a result of an underlying medical condition and shouldn’t be completely ignored.

“It could be as a result of kidney problems or other underlying problems. So, in adulthood, such a person experiencing persistent hiccups should visit their physician,” Babatola added.

Corroborating his statements, a Consultant Paediatrician at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Dr Sylvia Echendu, said that hiccups were self-resolving and required no medical attention or placing a thread on a baby’s head.

She noted that hiccups in babies occurred for no apparent reason but said that sometimes, feeding could cause the diaphragm to contract when a baby was overfed, swallowed too much air, or ate quickly. Echendu noted that these factors made the baby’s stomach swell, putting pressure on the diaphragm, and resulting in a seizure that leads to hiccups.

Paediatricians have debunked the long-held belief that placing a strand of thread on a baby’s head will stop hiccup, stating that the practice often shared as a home remedy by well-meaning family members, had no scientific basis.

They warned that such practice could lead to unnecessary anxiety and distraction from more effective approaches, such as gentle burping or adjusting feeding positions..They explained that hiccups in infants were a normal and often harmless reflex, caused by involuntary contractions of the diaphragm,

Natbrowny:
It doesn't actually. Its just superstitious stuff

Natbrowny:
It doesn't actually. Its just superstitious stuff

fortunez1:
I can post a video tomorrow to look prove that I do practice this daily on my baby.

Adewale1603:
What about "suke suke" they'd ask you to drink, sip a glass of water seven times, and it would stop. That one sure works

Racoon:
Guess the doubts of many people have been cleared by the experts now. The useless myth that that putting thread, rope or cotton wool on the scalp of infants or child during hiccups is curative.

aylipple:
The pediatricians are entitled to their opinion and beliefs just as those of us who have tried, tested and confirmed the effectiveness of placing strands of wool on the head of an infant should be allowed to be entitled to our own opinion.
Two opinions can mutually coexist: one doesn’t have to be an outright lie for the other to be the wholesome truth.