A common superstition about an hiccup that turns out to be true
Hiccups could happen to us inadvertently and they aren't life-threatening . Infact some of us might enjoy having them . Everyone, both dead or alive had experienced an hiccup at one time or the other.
Even when we were kids, if a child gets a sudden hiccup after a heavy laughter, other children would e try to induce theirs so that we could all "hiccup" in rhythm. Lol.
Scientifically, an hiccup is caused when the diaphragm: a broad muscle which seperates the chest from the abdomen momentarily seals off the air supply before it gets to the vocal cavity. Although the cause of an hiccup remains unknown, but it's thought to be largely due to irritation in the diaphragm .
Abnormal hiccups could be caused by excessive consumption of alcohol or indigestion . In any case, when an hiccup last for hours, then there could be a psychological, respiratory abnormalities which in this case, could be lethal.
Superstitious beliefs about Hiccups
It is believed in most cultures around the world that when one is experiencing an hiccup, them someone somewhere is probably thinking or talking about them. And until they could be able to guess the name of the person correctly, the hiccup wouldn't go away.
Well we all know this is wrong belief. If it were so, then half of the inhabitants of world would be suffering from fits of hiccup for hours a day because the other half are talking about them.
Although there's is no remedy to hiccups, but it's generally believed that drinking water could clear one's throat.
In our culture, it is recommended that when one who starts experiencing an hiccup, they should take seven( 7) sips from a cup of water. You are expected to complete the seven gulps even though you begin to feel alright after the first two drinks.
I just remembered a scenario that happened when I was much younger, I was in alone in the room with my baby brother who was just a few months old when he started experiencing a bout of hiccup. So, based on what I have been told of the water cure, I quickly fetched a jar of water and tried to get the baby to take seven slops. We were about going for the fourth round when my mum suddenly barged in and screamed in awe at my action.
Before I could explain the situation, she snatched the jar from me and splashed the water all over my head and face.
"But he was having an hiccup", I said innocently.
"You don't force an infant to drink water during an hiccup", mom said angrily.
Instead, she got a length of thread from her drawer and placed it on the baby's soft and oily hair. Also immediately , the hiccup ceased.
This surely looked like magic to me!
She told me that's how to take care of a newborn who was experiencing hiccup as told my her mother ( my grandma). Some days later, I adopted this method when the hicupps started again and it worked!
Indeed, this method wasn't just peculiar to mom, I also got to know that alot of women in my country would also place a strand of thread on their baby's hair and it never fails. Any Nigerian on this platform would recognize this to be true 😁
I'm still searching for the scientific explanation surrounding the use of a thread to cure a baby's hiccup but I guess there wouldn't be any. Somethings are just inexplicably.
A superstitious belief that always comes true!
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Thanks for reading 😁💝
Each time is see hiccup articles it makes me laugh 🤣.
I had a tough encounter with hiccup last year, the first method that came to my mind was putting piece of clothes on head, I was expecting the magic to works but no way.
I drank plenty of water but it never seized and it was so serious disturbing me every 5secs. I asked questions and did all they recommended but it didn't stopped.
I went to a chemist nearby to get drugs and he unfortunately told me that there's no drug for it. He recommended that I should use a strand from "hausa's mat" to tie round my neck and that was our I busted into uncontrollably laughter🤣.
It siezes on its own. For adults, there's no remedy for it🤗