Hiccups are a common occurrence caused by involuntary spasms of the diaphragm, the muscle located between the chest and abdomen. When the diaphragm spasms, the vocal cords quickly close, producing the characteristic sound of hiccups.
1. Why do you get hiccups?
Hiccups are a common and usually temporary condition that almost everyone experiences at some point. However, in some cases, they can become difficult to manage and may even indicate an underlying issue.
Although hiccups are not inherently dangerous, frequent and persistent hiccups should prompt a visit to a healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
Hiccups can be categorized into three types based on their duration:
- Acute hiccups which last up to 4 hours.
- Persistent hiccups when it lasts more than 48 hours and can extend up to 1 month.
- Finally, intractable hiccups can persist for more than 1 month.
2. What Causes Hiccups?
Below are common causes of hiccups:
- Disruption in fluid balance, consuming overly hot or cold foods and drinks, or psychological factors such as anxiety, stress, and stimulation.
- Central nervous system disorders are a common cause of persistent or intractable hiccups. These include vascular damage, often due to arteriovenous malformations, and infectious causes such as encephalitis and meningitis, which are the most prevalent. Structural damage is another significant factor, encompassing a range of intracranial and brainstem lesions, multiple sclerosis, hydrocephalus, and syringomyelia.
Stimulation of the Vagus Nerve and Diaphragm: a common cause of persistent or intractable hiccups. Causes of nerve stimulation include:
- Pharyngitis, laryngitis, or tumors in the neck that irritate the recurrent laryngeal nerves.
- Goiter, tumors, or cysts in the neck, mediastinal diseases, and diaphragmatic abnormalities that irritate the phrenic nerve.
- Foreign objects touching the tympanic membrane that irritate the auricular branch of the vagus nerve.
- Digestive disorders: Include gastric distension, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcers, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, gastric carcinoma, abdominal abscesses, gallbladder disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and hepatitis.
3. How to Manage Hiccups?
Simple Methods to Relieve Hiccups:
- Disrupt Normal Breathing: Hold your breath: Take a deep breath, close your mouth, pinch your nose with your thumb and forefinger, and forcefully attempt to exhale without letting the air escape.
- Stimulate the throat or uvula by: sipping cold water, swallowing a teaspoon of dry granulated sugar, or drinking multiple sips of warm water. A traditional saying suggests men take seven sips and women take nine.
- Increase vagus nerve stimulation, for example, by gently pressing on the eyeballs.
- Counteract diaphragm spasms, for example, by pulling your knees to your chest and leaning forward to compress the chest.
- For persistent hiccups, you should see a doctor. If the methods mentioned above do not improve your condition, in addition to diagnosing the root cause for targeted treatment, prescription medications may be used to help. Other interventions, such as acupuncture, hypnosis, or surgery, may also be considered but are usually reserved for cases unresponsive to medication.
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