Having hiccups can be an uncomfortable and embarrassing situation, often resulting in awkward blind dates and heated, whispered arguments with movie theater ushers over what qualifies as a medical condition. Blast your hiccups away using any or all of these folk remedies:

A Good Scare: One tried-and-true method of curing hiccups is to shock the body with fright. For instance, if you are afraid of public speaking, try attempting to give the most important speech of your life while suffering from hiccups.

A Spoonful of Sugar: As with so many of life’s problems, the solution to curing hiccups may lie in outright bribery. A spoonful of sugar swallowed directly onto the diaphragm will cure its sweet tooth and appease its spasms. For stronger cases, it is recommended to shove entire Tootsie Rolls directly into the belly button.

Holding Your Breath: By depriving your hiccups of oxygen, they, like all things, will suffocate and die, allowing your bloodstream to sweep up their withered remains and push them harmlessly out your nose. Note: if you hold your breath long enough, you can cure literally every other malady as well.