The bartender's hiccup remedy

Q: I get hiccups very frequently. I've tried many of the folk remedies I've heard about with little success. My doctor actually prescribed a drug that he says might help, but I'd prefer not to take medication if I don't have to. Do you know of any natural remedies?

Dr. Wright: The best hiccup-reliever I've come across borders on "folk remedy" status, but it does have one study behind it. In an open trial of people suffering with the hiccups, 88 percent of those who sucked (and perhaps chewed) on a lemon wedge soaked in Angostura bitters were cured.

Angostura bitters are made from the bark of a South American tree and were used much more widely in days gone by. Although they may be hard to find, keeping the bitters on hand -- along with a couple of lemons -- might be worth the effort for people who suffer frequent bouts of hiccups.

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