New Health Guide
Everyone, at one point in life, has been tormented by hiccups – annoying and involuntary fits that make it close to impossible for you to have a conversation, maintain a train of thought and even eat a meal. Most people hiccup about four to six times every minute when having hiccups. Everyone on earth has a specific hiccup pattern in their lifetime.
Hiccups mostly start from nowhere and tend to be a bother very quickly. This has led to people trying all sorts of creative and unusual ideas to rid themselves off their hiccups. As such, there are countless theories and discussions online on treating hiccups. Here are the causes, symptoms and possible complications of hiccups.
Hiccups (singultus) can be defined as repetitive uncontrollable diaphragm contractions. The diaphragm is the muscle that is right below the lungs and marks the boundary between the abdomen and chest. The diaphragm is the muscle that regulates breathing and when the breathing is out of rhythm you get hiccups. With each diaphragm spasm, the vocal cords and larynx close suddenly and this causes a rush of air to the lungs. The body, in turn, responds with a gasp that creates the hiccups sounds.
Hiccups can also be spelled as “hiccoughs”. In most cases, hiccups resolve after a few hours without the need for treatment. There are, however, some rare cases where hiccups last for long. When hiccups last for over 48 hours, they can be classified into:
Did you know that a fetus in the uterus can also have hiccups?
The only signs that you have hiccups are the characteristic sound of hiccups, a slight tight sensation in the chest, throat or abdomen that precedes the hiccup sound. Hiccups infrequently last for a long time in most individuals and have no underlying medical problem.
Prolonged cases of the hiccups may cause complications. They include:
See a door if your hiccups become persistent or more chronic (last for over 3 hours). Also, see a doctor if the hiccups affect your sleep pattern, cause vomiting or food reflux, or interfere with your eating.
Hiccups are rarely an emergency. If they last for over 3 hours, come with the feeling as if your throat is closing up, you spit blood, you are vomiting, you have shortness of breath, and you have fever or severe abdominal pain, seek medical attention at once.
The most common hiccups trigger will last for less than 2 days. They include:
Hiccups that last for over 48 hours can be caused by various factors. These factors are generally grouped into these categories:
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Causes |
Description |
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Nerve irritation or damage |
Long-term hiccups can be caused when the phrenic nerves or vagus nerves are irritated or damaged. These nerves are the ones that serve your diaphragm muscle. Here are some factors that may cause irritation or damage to these nerves:
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Central nervous system problems |
Damage to the CNS or an infection in the central nervous system resulting from trauma can disturb the body’s normal hiccup reflex control. Examples include:
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Drugs and metabolic problems |
The following can also trigger long-term hiccups:
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Women are less likely to develop long-term hiccups compared to men. Here are other factors that might increase the risk of hiccups:
Some hiccups cases don't require medical treatment and usually stop soon after. However, here are some steps you could try out to stop hiccups. They are:
Here is a video on more strategies that will help you deal with hiccups:
These are some medications that may be prescribed if there is no diagnosis of an underlying condition. Doctors usually prescribe a 2 week, low-dose course of medication. The course length, however, depends on the hiccups severity, the age and general health of the patient. The medications include:
