Hiccups are the involuntary contractions of the stomach. The contractions occur automatically. It is the muscle that segregate chest from abdomen and plays an important part in breathing. By the sudden closure of vocal cord contraction is followed and which produces the “hic” sound. When we inhale to let air into our lungs a dome-shaped muscle diaphragm between our stomach and lungs pulls down and when we exhale diaphragm relaxes so air can flow back out of our lungs to exit our mouth and nose. When something irritates our diaphragm, it forced us to suddenly suck air into our throat, where it hits our voice box. That makes our vocal cords suddenly close, producing the distinct “hic” sound. There is no way to precede hiccups. There is usually a slight tightening of the throat or chest with each spasm earlier to make the distinctive hiccup sound. The cases of hiccups end and start quickly most of the time. Episodes of hiccups generally last only a few minutes. Hiccups are considered persistent if the hiccups last longer than 48 hours, and the hiccups that last longer than two months are considered difficult or intractable to manage.
What are the Causes of Hiccups?
There are several causes of hiccups that have been identified. There is no list of triggers. Hiccups often go and come for no evident reason. Common possible causes of short-term hiccups include:
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Eating too much food
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Eating more spicy foods
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Taking very cold and hot foods
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Taking alcohol
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Taking carbonated beverages
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A rapid change in the temperature
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Emotional stress or excitement
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Inhaling air while chewing gum
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Inhaling too much air
The most of the hiccups are caused by the irritation or injury to either the phrenic nerve or vagus. The phrenic nerves and vagus control the movement of our domed-shaped muscles diaphragm .These nerves may be influenced and affected by:
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Irritation of our ear drum and this irritation is caused by a foreign object.
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Enlargement of the thyroid gland that is called goiter.
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Gastroesophageal reflux in which into the esophagus the stomach acid is backed up and esophagus is the tube that transfer the food from mouth to stomach.
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Cyst or tumor of an oeshophagus.
Central Nervous System is also the cause of hiccups. The Central Nervous System consist of spinal cord and brain. Our body may lose the ability to control hiccups if the central nervous system is damaged. Damage to the central nervous system may lead to constant hiccups include:
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A chronic degenerative nerve disease known as the multiple sclerosis.
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Infections that cause swelling in the brain are encephalitis and meningitis.
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Brain Injury or head trauma
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Hydrocephalus the accumulation of fluid on the brain.
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The other brain infections and neurosyphilis
The longer period hiccups can be caused by:
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Overtaking of alcohol
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Use of Tobacco
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A degenerative brain disease known as the Parkinson’s disease.
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Chemotherapy treatments and cancer.
A medical procedure can also cause us to develop long term hiccups accidently. These procedures are used to diagnose other problems and include:
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To access the heart muscle the use of catheters can cause hiccups.
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Bronchoscopy a treatment in which an instrument is used to look inside our lungs.
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Tracheostomy the creation of surgical opening in the neck to allow breathing.
Hiccups after eating
What causes the hiccups after eating? The reasons of hiccups after eating are following:
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Eating excessively fast
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Unexpected and outrageous temperature changes
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Hot and fiery nourishments
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Devouring carbonated beverage
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Eating excessively
Summary
Causes of hiccups are several. Some of the causes are eating too much food, eating more spicy foods, taking alcohol etc. The most of the hiccups are caused by the irritation or injury to either the phrenic nerve or vagus.
Risk Factors
The possibility of long-term hiccups to develop is more in men than women. The factors that may increase the risk of hiccups include:
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Mental or emotional issues
Excitement, stress and anxiety are associated with some cases of long- term and and short-term hiccups. -
Surgery
After procedures that involve abdominal organs and after undergoing general anesthesia some people develop hiccups.
Summary
The factors that may increase the risk of hiccups include: Mental or emotional issues and surgery. The possibility of long-term hiccups to develop is more in men than women
Possible Complications of Untreated Hiccups
A long time episodes of hiccups can be harmful to our health. The long time episodes of hiccups are also uncomfortable. If left undiagnosed, long term hiccups can disturb our eating habits and sleeping lead to:
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Weight loss and dehydration.
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If hiccups occur at short intervals, it can become difficult to eat properly.
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Long-term hiccups can cause depression.
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Long-term hiccups can be exhausting.
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Hiccups also causes the communication problems.
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Hiccups make it difficult for post-surgical wounds to heal and increases the risk of infections.
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Irregular heart beat and gastro-esophageal reflux.disease
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Constant hiccups causes sleeplessness.
Summary
The long time episodes of hiccups are uncomfortable. The long term episodes of hiccups may be harmful for our health. If left undiagnosed, long term hiccups can disturb our eating habits
Symptoms of the hiccups
The symptoms of the hiccup may include:
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Involuntarily sucking of the air into the throat.
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Closing of the epiglottis makes a “hic” sound.
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A sharp contraction of the diaphragm and this contraction is felt just below the breastbone.
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The hiccups stop after a few minutes.
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Hiccupping is a symptom and sometimes may be accompanied by slight tightening of our abdomen, throat or chest.
Summary
The more common symptoms of the hiccups include: Involuntarily sucking of the air into the throat,A sharp contraction of the diaphragm and this contraction is felt just below the breastbone, Closing of the epiglottis makes a “hic” sound.
Treatment for Hiccups
How to cure hiccups by home treatment?
It is necessary to discuss how to cure hiccups? Sometimes hiccups will go away after a hours or a few minutes with no medical treatment. If they remain for a longer-period of time then it necessary to visit a doctor. The following steps may help us in how to get rid of the hiccups:
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Eating some granulated sugar.
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While you inhaling place pressure on your nose.
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For a short period of time hold your breath, breath out, do it three or four times and do this every 20 minutes.
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Lean forward so that you easily compress your chest.
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Rubbing of the eyeballs can cure hiccups.
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Drinking of a water rapidly.
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Breathing of air into the paper bag instead of plastic bag.
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Gargling with very cold water
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Hugging the knees close to chest for a short time cure hiccups.
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Putting the finger in throat can cure hiccups.
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Pull on the tongue gently.
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Taste a tiny amount of vinegar
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Biting a lemon can also cure hiccups.
Is there medical treatments for hiccups?
If the long-term hiccups interfere with the person’s quality of life then the doctor may prescribed a drug to the patient. If a person is suffering from the underlying condition then managing the condition will probably cure the hiccups. If there appears to be no underlying health condition then the following medications may help:
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A muscle relaxant, baclofen
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An anti-seizure medication (gabapentin) this can help can remove the symptoms of hiccups.
The following medicines are recommended if the above medicines does not work:
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Haloperidol or chlorpromazine medications can remove hiccups.
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Reglan or metoclopramide medication may help some people with hiccups.
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Hiccups related to anesthesia or surgery can treat by Ketamine or Ephedrine.
A low-dose and two-weeks course of medication will usually prescribed by the doctor. The dosage is gradually increase until the hiccups are gone. The dosage will depend on the severity of hiccups.
Does there is any need of test for hiccups?
When a person have persistent hiccups lasting more than 48 hours or sometimes occur the short bout of hiccups and the doctor find an obvious cause then the person will most likely want to do some tests.
The earlier test are the chest x-ray test, heart tracing test and blood test. These look for changes such as chest problem, heart diseases and blood chemistry.
Some test may be prescribed depending on the individual situation.
The following tests can be used to identify the cause of intractable and persistent hiccups:
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Blood test should be done to determine the signs of kidney disease, infection and diabetes.
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Liver functions test
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an echocardiogram ( to ■■■■■ the heart function)
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an endoscopy( lungs and airways can be examined by this)
Surgery
If the hiccups cannot be cured by the home remedies treatment and by the medication prescribed by the doctor then a surgeon may inject medication into the phrenic nerve to temporarily block the nerve’s action. The surgeon cut the phrenic nerve that controls a domed shaped muscle diaphragm. The other option is to surgically implant a battery-operated device that deliver mild electrical stimulation to our vagus nerve.
Summary
Hiccups can be cured by some home remedies. If hiccups are not cured by the home remedies then the patient must go to the doctor and the doctor will prescribed some medicines for hiccups. Surgery is done if the hiccups are not cured by the home remedies and medication.
Prevention
Sometimes the causes hiccups are preventable and some ways to reduce the hiccups risk include:
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Evading the rapid changes in temperature
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Not taking sodas or alcohol
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Eating in a moderate way and not too rapidly.
Some hiccups are short-time and alleviate after a short while but if they remain constant it is necessary to go to doctor.
Summary
There are some ways by which we can prevent the risk of hiccups, such as eating in a moderate way, evading the rapid changes in temperature and not taking alcohol.
Hiccups in infants and babies
How to get rid of baby hiccups is a general question .Hiccups in infants, babies and newborn are common as in adult and they are generally of no concern. If a mother is feeding a child and hiccups start during feeding the mother will stop feeding until the hiccups go away in a baby or infant. sometimes continuing the feeding will stop the hiccups in a baby or in an infants. If the baby often hiccups while feedings, feed the baby when he or she is already relaxed. If the child hiccups seems to upset him consult the doctor.
Summary
Hiccups in infants, babies and newborn are common as in adult and they are generally of no concern. If the baby often hiccups while feedings, feed the baby when he or she is already relaxed. If the child hiccups seems to upset him consult the doctor.
Intractable hiccups
Most of the hiccups last for a few minutes and alleviate after sometime but some hiccups last for more than a month and these are known as the Intractable hiccups. It is also called an intractable singultus and chronic hiccups. These names are the another way to say hiccups. The intractable hiccups continued for 60 years but these are very uncommon occur in 1 about 100,000 people. Hiccups that last for 48 hours are called protracted and persistent hiccups. Causes of intractable hiccups are dehydration, exhaustion and weight loss.
Summary
some hiccups last for more than a month and these are known as the Intractable hiccups. The intractable hiccups continued for 60 years but these are very uncommon occur in 1 about 100,000 people.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do hiccups feel like?
Sensation of the hiccups is more rhythmic than other movements. Some people have explained it as a pulsating or twitch feeling that is akin to muscle spasm.
Can hiccups be a sign of something serious?
Chronic hiccups are related with many underlying disorders, ranging from brain strokes and tumors to pleurisy and pneumonia. Chronic hiccups also impact our quality of life if they interrupt our eating patterns and sleeping.
Are hiccups related to heart attack?
Hiccups are never a sign of heart attack or any other medical problem. Hiccups usually come from drinking too much alcohol, eating too much, emotional stress and excitement.
Is it normal to have hiccups everyday?
Stress and anxiety disorders can cause long term hiccups. If hiccups go and come, they are most likely a result of our eating habits and digestive functions. But if they remain for more than a few days talk with the doctor.
What causes hiccups at night?
The vocal cords suddenly close, and you get the hiccups. Hiccuping in the sleep can be caused by many number of things such as goiter, gastrointestinal reflux disease, pleurisy, multiple sclerosis or brain injuries.
Conclusion
Hiccups are the involuntary contractions of the stomach. The contractions occur automatically. It is the muscle that segregate chest from abdomen and plays an important part in breathing. There are several causes of the hiccups that have been identified. The symptoms of the hiccup may include: Involuntarily sucking of the air into the throat and a sharp contraction of the diaphragm and this contraction is felt just below the breastbone. Hiccups in infants, babies and newborn are common as in adult and they are generally of no concern.The long term hiccups can cause depression and other problems that’s why it is essential to cure the hiccups. Sometimes hiccups will go away after a hours or a few minutes with no medical treatment. If they remain for a longer-period of time then it is necessary to visit a doctor.
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