When I got hiccoughs as a child my mother said it was caused through "telling lies" - I could never understand that, I often got the hiccoughs, but did not tell lies! I tried all sorts of things to cure it like, holding my breath for as long as I could. I would immediately hiccough when I let it go. Hold your nose and blow through your mouth, was another cure, but although that worked sometimes, it was not a complete cure. Breathe in and out of a paper bag 20 times I was told. Useless!

Put your little fingers in your ears and put the palms of of your hands forward. Again useless. But the one that worked for me, and still does if I ever get hiccoughs is to drink water from the opposite side of the glass. I usually have the glass half full so it takes a bit of concentration, and that I think is the answer. Take your mind off the hiccoughs and they will be cured. It is usually due to indigestion and remember prevention is better than cure.