This finger method might just cure your hiccups — but it’s very awkward

Get those gloves ready, because this hiccup hack requires a real hands-on approach.

Pinky promise — it works.

A 1990 case study tells the seemingly bizarre story of a 60-year-old man coming into the hospital complaining of hiccups that just wouldn’t quit.

Conventional attempts at treatment — such as placing pressure on the eyeballs and swallowing a teaspoon of sugar — didn’t work.

Then they tried a digital rectal massage — yes, that means they stuck a finger up his butt — and, shazam, hiccups be gone.

Other cases soon followed with similar results, which begs the question: Does this medical anal play actually work?

“It works like a charm,” Dr. Hany Demian, CEO of BioSpine and co-founder of Pain Care Clinics, told the Post.

The method involves stimulating the vagus nerve — the communication superhighway between your brain and major organs — in a way that essentially short-circuits the hiccup reflex.

While it usually requires a few attempts, Demian said it typically only takes five to 10 minutes to achieve the desired result.

The patient has to be “calm and really relaxed, which is easy to ask but hard to do,” he said.

To set the mood, he dims the lights, gives them an oral sedative to help them relax without making them sleepy and walks them through the process step-by-step.

Then it’s showtime.

“The patient lies on their side, and we start the procedure,” he said. “In order for this to work, the patient has to breath normally and not hold their breath.”

While it is effective, for better or worse, it’s virtually impossible to pull off a DIY digital rectal massage.

“It is very hard to do this yourself since it is very hard to activate the vagal response you need on your own body,” he said.

“In theory, you can get a partner to do it — the main idea is to hit the certain vagal response that will stop the hiccups.”

There’s your next date night sorted.

While it may seem funny in theory, persistent hiccups can actually be a serious issue.

Demian recalled one man who showed up in the ER in the middle of the night after two weeks of nonstop hiccups.

“He couldn’t sleep and was actually suicidal,” Demian said. “Once it was gone, he was so appreciative and cried in happiness.”

Believe it or not, the issue comes up more often than you’d think.

“It is quite common, unfortunately, since there are lot of different things that can trigger hiccups,” he said. 

“Usually patients try so many home remedies or advice from friends and family before seeking medical attention, which sometimes make it much worse and harder to manage.”

If your hiccups won’t quit, your best bet is to see a doctor.

Demian recommends starting with a primary care physician or neurologist to address nerve-related causes.

In tougher cases, a gastroenterologist —for stomach-related causes — or an ear, nose and throat doctor —for structural issues — might need to step in.

Large hospitals and academic centers are more likely to have specialists who know this secret finger technique as well.