by B.J. Armstrong

Seasons come and seasons go
Autumn leaves must fall.
The Splendor of the earth giveth way
To winter's chilling call.
--- Regina Wiencek

Hiccups come and hiccups go. Or do they? Consult a doctor for hiccups that last longer than twenty-four hours. They can be a nuisance and scientists aren't sure what causes them.

Hiccups occur when the flap of tissue that serves at the gateway to the lungs closes suddenly and unexpectedly at the same time as the abdominal muscle that controls breathing contracts.

The spasmodic closure stops the air being drawn into the lungs and produces the characteristic hiccup sound.

We know what causes hiccups but curing them is still a puzzle. Doctors have tried everything from drugs to hypnosis. Most people have found old-fashioned home remedies to work most of the time. Here are a few things to try:-

* Ignore them. Most hiccup attacks last only a few minutes
* Hold your breath
* Suck on a lemon slice
* Tickle the roof of your mouth with a cotton swab.
* Gargle water
* Breath into a paper bag
* Swallow a teaspoon of sugar
* Eat some ice
* Let someone scare you
* Pull on your tongue.

Check your breathing. The idea is to interrupt the hiccup cycle by stopping the flow of oxygen for a

short time.

* Sneeze
* Cough

* Yawn

Change the pressure in your sinuses. By plugging up your ear canal, you are increasing the pressure inside your sinuses, forcing the muscle spasm that caused the hiccup to relax. Try one of these for relief:

* Plug up one ear with your finger
* Plug both ears and drink a glass of water,

Master some massage therapy. Many experts believe the part of your body that controls hiccups is the upper part of your spinal column, in the back of your neck. Several of these remedies apply pressure that may be connected to this control site. Try some of these remedies.

* Massage your ear lobes
* Pinch your upper lip, just below the right nostril
* Apply gentle pressure to closed eyelids
* Massage your throat.

The nerves at the back of your throat can trigger the muscle spasm that's causing your hiccups. By distracting those nerves by putting something in the mouth, you might be able to stop those annoying hiccups. My cousin swears by this one .... drink from the far side of a glass of water. Oh-h-h- yes! Another cousin says to pull your knees up to your chest and lean forward. I like this one ... get someone to sneak up from behind you and scare the hiccups away.

Works for me!!

We can walk on the moon and talk to Aunt Jane on the other side of the world but, those pesky old hiccups are still a mystery to us. Hiccups are jerky inhalations. Most cases are brief, but can become chronic and last for years. Consult a physician for hiccups that last longer than twenty-four hours, especially if they interfere with sleep. Chronic hiccups require a neurological work-up.

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather
And Autumn's best of cheer