Blah blah blah, blah blah blah, blah blah blah, BOO!!!!!!!

health related issues, humor, lessons learned, technology 1 Minute

Did it work?

Did the headline scare you enough to get rid of your hiccups?

For some people, hiccups are just a minor occasional annoyance that might last for a few minutes. I’m sure we’ve all tried various tricks like blowing into a paper bag, hyperventilating, or being scared by someone.

But for other people, hiccups can be a more serious health issue, impacting their quality of life. Relief for these individuals may be on the way.

Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have come up with a new invention that may finally cure the hiccups in one simple step.

The device, which scientists call the “forced inspiratory suction and swallow tool” (or FISST), has shown great promise in a recent study. Results show FISST stopped the hiccups in almost 92 percent of cases, according to the self-reporting of the participants. Moreover, just under 91 percent call the new device easy to use.

Here is a description of how the device works, from StudyFinds:

FISST is a rigid drinking tube (a high-tech straw) that has an inlet valve the patient uses to suck up water from a cup. The action of suction and swallowing simultaneously stimulate two nerves, the phrenic and vagus nerves. Doing this, the team says, will stop the hiccups.

Specifically, the forceful suction of pulling in water prompts the user’s diaphragm — a muscle that inflates the lungs when you breathe — to contract. The suction/swallowing combination also causes the epiglottis to close. This flap covers a person’s windpipe during swallowing.

There is a drawing of the device at the end of this post to help you visualize how FISST works.

The device is now being marketed by a Colorado company partnering with UT Health San Antonio.

I just checked to see if FISST might be a deal of the day on Amazon for Prime Day, but I did not see any mention of the product on the Amazon website.

So until then:

BOO!!!!

Published by Jim Borden

A 60-something guy trying to figure out the world, and his place in it. Happily married for 40-plus years, three wonderful sons. Accounting teacher, fitness enthusiast, blogger, reader.

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80 thoughts on “Blah blah blah, blah blah blah, blah blah blah, BOO!!!!!!!”

  2. My son started hiccuping before he was actually born. I could feel them when I was pregnant. After his birth, and I mean very soon after, they became a regular thing that were difficult to stop. As he grew, people always thought he was faking. He is almost 30, and I think he has finally outgrown them, but perhaps I should ask just in case he still needs a solution. Interesting article.

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    1. that must have been a weird sensation, to feel him hiccuping while you were pregnant. and it seems like it was a good predictor of future behavior. Glad to hear he may have finally outgrown them.

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  9. I’m glad to have this problem seldom. Drinking water and then holding my breath seems to work on the rare occasion that I get them. I’m for anything like this that improves the quality of life.

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  11. I decided to practice sucking water, contracting my diaphragm, closing my epiglottis, and stimulating my nerves phrenic and vagus so I could be ready when the time comes. I threw up this time but expect to get better after I try it 10,000 times.

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  13. I think if science has brought us to the point where we can fly a helicopter on Mars, solving hiccups should not be a stretch. This device will change the quality of life for many people I hope. Interesting post, Jim!

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  18. Lol, I myself have used a 100% technique that works for me, which is to take 50–100 small sips (the R&D for this straw thingie did say that swallowing helps after all) in a row. Has never failed me to date.

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      1. Yup, just sips of water. But the trick is you have to keep swallowing the sips without stopping, until your hiccups go away. For me, that’s 50–100 sips, which can be pretty tiring, tbh. But it 100% works for me!

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  20. You scared me too much and now my hiccups are worse… I remember watching an episode where someone died because of their hiccups and I was pretty shocked so I did some research and apparently hiccups can get pretty bad sometimes.

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