You have likely experienced hiccups. They are involuntary spasms of your diaphragm, a muscle under your lungs. Most hiccup episodes last only a few minutes, typically less than 30 minutes, and are harmless. However, constant hiccups can be distressing and sometimes indicate an underlying health issue. Understanding what causes hiccups, effective strategies for how to get rid of hiccups, and crucial guidance on when to see a doctor provides you with peace of mind and helps you take appropriate action.
Key Takeaways
Hiccups are sudden spasms of your diaphragm muscle. They make a “hic” sound when your vocal cords close fast.
Many things can cause hiccups. Eating too much, drinking fizzy drinks, or feeling stressed are common reasons.
Most hiccups go away quickly. If they last more than two days, they are called “persistent.” If they last over a month, they are “intractable.”
You can try simple ways to stop hiccups. Hold your breath or sip ice water. These actions can stop the hiccup reflex.
See a doctor if your hiccups last a long time. Also, see a doctor if you have other symptoms like throwing up or chest pain. These could mean a bigger health problem.
Understanding Hiccups
What Are Hiccups
You have a dome-shaped muscle called your diaphragm. It sits under your lungs. Hiccups happen when your diaphragm suddenly contracts without you wanting it to. This involuntary contraction pulls air into your lungs very quickly. Right after this, your vocal cords snap shut. This quick closing of your windpipe makes the “hic” sound you know.
This whole process is a reflex. Sensory nerves, like the phrenic and vagus nerves, send signals to your brain. Your brain then processes these signals. After that, motor nerves, mainly the phrenic nerve, send signals back to your diaphragm. This causes the muscle to spasm. Common things that trigger this reflex include an overfilled stomach or irritation to these nerves.
Why Hiccups Persist
Most hiccups go away quickly. But sometimes, they last longer. When hiccups continue for more than 48 hours, doctors call them “persistent.” If they last over a month, they are “intractable.” Several reasons can make your hiccups stick around.
Sometimes, irritation to nerves causes persistent hiccups. This can come from stomach problems or even procedures in your throat. Changes in your central nervous system, like from certain brain conditions, can also lead to ongoing hiccups. Other medical issues, such as pneumonia or problems with your liver or kidneys, might irritate your diaphragm. Even some medications can trigger these longer-lasting episodes. Metabolic imbalances, where your body’s chemistry is off, can also play a role. Finally, strong emotions like stress or excitement can sometimes make hiccups more frequent. You should pay attention if your hiccups do not stop.
What Causes Hiccups: Common Triggers
You experience hiccups for many reasons. Sometimes, simple daily habits or your environment can set them off. These common triggers for hiccups often lead to short-lived episodes. Understanding these everyday causes helps you manage them.
Lifestyle and Dietary Factors
What you eat and drink, and how you live, often causes hiccups. Many people get occasional hiccups after eating too much food. Consuming cold drinks can also trigger them. Certain dietary choices are frequently linked to hiccup episodes.
Overindulging in food
Consuming hot cuisine
Drinking alcohol
Consuming carbonated drinks, such as sodas
Eating meals that are extremely hot or cold
Consuming food and liquids too rapidly
Sipping something exceedingly hot or very cold
Alcohol consumption is a significant factor. Studies show that a history of drinking alcohol doubles your risk of hiccups. This is especially true for chemotherapy-induced hiccups. To reduce your chances of getting hiccups, you should avoid:
Drinking alcohol or carbonated beverages
Smoking
These habits irritate your diaphragm or the nerves connected to it. This irritation then leads to the involuntary spasms you know as hiccups.
Nerve Irritation
Your body has specific nerves that control your diaphragm. When these nerves get irritated, they can cause hiccups. The vagus nerve and the phrenic nerve are key players here. These nerves, along with others in your autonomic system, send signals to your brain. If something irritates them, your brain might send back signals that make your diaphragm spasm.
An irritated phrenic nerve can cause hiccups that last a long time. These can go on for days or even over a month. Irritation can come from many sources. It might be from a hair touching your eardrum. It could also be from a tumor, cyst, or goiter in your neck. Even a sore throat or laryngitis can irritate these nerves. These irritations are common causes of hiccups.
Emotional Stress
Your emotions can also trigger hiccups. Stress, excitement, or anxiety can lead to hiccup episodes. These emotional factors increase the stimulation of your nervous system. This heightened activity can then cause your diaphragm to spasm.
When you feel stressed or excited, you might also breathe faster. This is called hyperventilation. You might also swallow more air, a condition known as aerophagia. Both hyperventilation and aerophagia can contribute to hiccups. These psychological triggers usually result in short, harmless hiccup episodes. They often go away on their own without any special treatment. Other emotional causes include:
Over-excitement, anxiety, or stress
Schizophrenia
Anorexia nervosa
Malingering (faking illness)
Conversion reaction
Medical Causes of Constant Hiccups
Sometimes, your hiccups are more than just a nuisance. They can point to a serious medical issue. These constant hiccups need attention. You should understand these deeper causes.
Gastrointestinal Conditions
Problems in your digestive system often cause hiccups. Conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can irritate the nerves that control your diaphragm. Other esophageal disorders also contribute. You might experience hiccups after abdominal surgery or with bowel diseases. Gallbladder disease, hepatitis, and pancreatitis are other potential causes. Even pregnancy can sometimes lead to persistent hiccups. In some cases, prolonged hiccups link to infections like HSV Esophagitis or H. pylori Gastritis.
Neurological Disorders
Your brain and nerves control your diaphragm. When these systems have problems, you can get hiccups. Neurological disorders can disrupt the hiccup reflex. For example, a patient with a basal ganglia bleed experienced persistent hiccups. These neurogenic hiccups often involve the medulla oblongata in your brain. This involvement can also lead to breathing problems. Such neurological issues are serious causes of constant hiccups.
Respiratory Illnesses
Lung and breathing problems can also trigger hiccups. These conditions irritate your diaphragm or the nerves near it. You might experience hiccups with:
Pleurisy of the diaphragm
Pneumonia
Asthma
Even a life-threatening condition like pulmonary embolism (PE) can sometimes present as persistent hiccups, though it usually causes chest pain or shortness of breath.
Metabolic Issues
Your body’s chemistry plays a role in hiccups. Metabolic imbalances can lead to constant hiccups. When your kidneys fail, waste products like urea build up in your blood. This is called uremia. This buildup can irritate your diaphragm. Low levels of electrolytes like sodium, calcium, and potassium also disrupt nerve function. A 62-year-old man had persistent hiccups with worsening kidney function. His hiccups stopped after he started dialysis. This shows how toxic-metabolic states are significant causes.
Medication Side Effects
Certain medications can cause hiccups as a side effect. These drugs affect your nervous system or irritate your diaphragm. Common culprits include:
Corticosteroids (like dexamethasone)
Chemotherapy drugs
Benzodiazepines (like midazolam)
Opioid pain relievers (like morphine)
Acid reflux drugs
Corticosteroids and benzodiazepines are two drug classes most often linked to hiccups. If you start a new medication and develop constant hiccups, talk to your doctor.
How to Get Rid of Hiccups: Immediate Relief
You want to stop hiccups quickly. Many simple methods can help. These methods often work by interrupting the hiccup reflex. You can try these at home for immediate relief.
Home Remedies
Many people try various home remedies to stop hiccups. These methods often aim to stimulate nerves or change your breathing. You might find some work better for you than others.
Hold your breath: Take a deep breath. Hold it for 10 to 20 seconds. Then slowly let it out. This increases carbon dioxide in your blood. This change can stop hiccups.
Rebreathe into a paper bag: Place a paper lunch bag over your mouth and nose. Breathe in and out slowly. This also increases carbon dioxide levels. Remember, never use a plastic bag.
Drink water: Sip ice water. You can also try drinking water from the far side of a glass. Some people find drinking a glass of water through a paper towel effective. These actions stimulate nerves in your throat.
Swallow sugar: Take a teaspoon of sugar. This stimulates the nasopharynx, a part of your throat.
Induce a fright: A sudden scare can sometimes stop hiccups. This creates a transient fear response.
Try the HAPI technique: This method combines deep breathing with nerve stimulation. You inspire maximally. Then you try to inspire more with an open throat for 30 seconds. After that, you exhale slowly. Studies show this technique can provide immediate relief.
Use a HiccAway straw: This special straw has a small hole at the bottom and a large hole at the top. You need to suck hard through it. This effort stabilizes your diaphragm. It creates enough pressure to stop hiccups.
You might wonder, “how can i cure hiccups” with these methods. While many people use these remedies, their scientific basis is not always strong. One internist, Tyler Cymet, studied 54 hospital patients. He found that common interventions like drinking for 90 seconds or drinking upside down lack scientific backing. He concluded that “nothing works” and hiccups “start and stop on their own.” A person with chronic hiccups also reported that many of these remedies “fail completely” for them. So, results can vary.
Breathing Exercises
Specific breathing exercises can help you regain control over your diaphragm. These exercises disrupt the normal breathing pattern. This can stop the involuntary spasms.
Practice measured breathing: Inhale for a count of five. Exhale for a count of five. This measured breathing helps disrupt your respiratory system.
Hold your breath: Take a large gulp of air. Hold it for 10 to 20 seconds. Then slowly exhale. Repeat this if you need to.
Use the Valsalva maneuver: You try to exhale forcefully. You pinch your nose and keep your mouth closed. This maneuver may inhibit the nerve signals causing hiccups.
Hug your knees: Sit down. Bring your knees to your chest. Lean forward. This compresses your chest. It puts pressure on your diaphragm.
These exercises aim to change the pressure in your chest or alter your blood’s carbon dioxide levels. This can reset the hiccup reflex.
Physical Maneuvers
You can also try certain physical actions. These maneuvers stimulate nerves or put pressure on your diaphragm. They can provide quick relief.
Pull on your tongue: Gently pull your tongue forward. This stimulates the vagus nerve.
Press on your eyeballs: Gently press on your eyeballs. Do this through your closed eyelids. This can also stimulate nerves.
Swallow against pressure: Drink water while you plug your ears. This creates pressure in your throat.
Curl up in a ball: Pull your knees to your chest. This puts pressure on your diaphragm.
Suck on a lemon: The sour taste can stimulate nerves in your mouth and throat.
Hold down your left ear: Some people find this simple action helpful.
These physical actions are quick ways to try and stop hiccups. They work by stimulating different parts of your nervous system. This can interrupt the hiccup cycle. You can try these methods to prevent hiccups from continuing. This immediate treatment focuses on quick fixes.
Medical Treatments for Persistent Hiccups
When your hiccups do not go away, you might need medical help. Doctors have specific ways to stop persistent hiccups. These methods range from prescription drugs to more advanced procedures. You should talk to your doctor if your hiccups last a long time.
Prescription Medications
Doctors often prescribe medications when home remedies do not work for persistent hiccups. These drugs target the nerves or muscles involved in hiccuping. You might receive one of several options.
First-line prescription medications for persistent hiccups include Metoclopramide and Baclofen. Doctors also recommend Gabapentin (300 to 600 mg three times a day) and Pregabalin (75 to 150 mg twice a day) as first-line therapies for persistent and intractable hiccups.
Baclofen shows a 100% total effective rate for chemotherapy-induced intractable hiccups. Some people experience mild side effects like fatigue or drowsiness. However, previous studies show that over 25% of patients might have somnolence, nausea, or dizziness. Chlorpromazine is another option, but it has a longer onset time and a higher risk of side effects. This treatment for hiccups aims to calm the nerve signals causing the spasms.
Advanced Interventions
Sometimes, medications are not enough to stop persistent hiccups. In these cases, doctors consider more advanced interventions. These procedures directly affect the nerves that control your diaphragm.
One such advanced intervention is a phrenic nerve block. This procedure involves injecting medication near the phrenic nerve. This nerve sends signals to your diaphragm. Blocking these signals can stop the hiccup reflex. A case series shows that a phrenic nerve block can be an effective treatment for intractable hiccups. You might need this if other treatments have failed.
When to See a Doctor
Most hiccups are harmless. They go away on their own. However, sometimes hiccups can signal a more serious health issue. You need to know when to seek professional medical advice. This section helps you understand when your hiccups require a doctor’s attention.
When Should You Seek Medical Attention
You might wonder, when should you seek medical attention for hiccups? If your hiccups become frequent, severe, or last a long time, you should consult a doctor. They can be a sign of something more sinister. Do not ignore hiccups that disrupt your daily life.
Red Flags: Duration and Severity
The length of your hiccup episode is a key indicator. Hiccups that last more than 48 hours are a red flag. Doctors classify hiccups based on how long they last.
Classification | Duration |
|---|---|
Hiccup Bout | Less than 48 hours |
Persistent Hiccups | 48 hours to 1 month |
Intractable Hiccups | Greater than 1 month |
If your hiccups last more than 48 hours, doctors call them persistent hiccups. If they continue for over a month, they are intractable hiccups. Both persistent and intractable hiccups are types of long-term hiccups. These long-term hiccups need medical evaluation. Prolonged hiccups can interfere with eating, sleeping, and speaking. If you have constant hiccups that fit these descriptions, you need to see a doctor. Chronic hiccups can significantly impact your quality of life.
Accompanying Symptoms
Beyond the duration, other symptoms of hiccups can tell you when are hiccups serious. You should seek immediate medical care if your hiccups come with other concerning signs. These additional symptoms suggest an underlying problem.
Consider seeing a doctor if your hiccups are accompanied by:
Vomiting or nausea
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Chest pain
Trouble swallowing food or fluids
Abdominal pain
Fever
Coughing up blood
A sensation of your throat closing up
Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of your body
Confusion or trouble speaking
Severe headache
Vision problems
Dizziness or loss of balance
If you experience recurrent hiccups along with any of these symptoms, you must get medical help. These could point to conditions like pleurisy of the diaphragm, pneumonia, uremia, alcoholism, or disorders of the stomach.
Diagnostic Steps
When you visit your doctor for long-term hiccups, they will perform a thorough evaluation. Your doctor will ask about your medical history and conduct a physical examination. This helps them understand your specific situation.
Your doctor may order several tests to find the cause of your persistent hiccups. These tests can include:
Blood tests: These check for metabolic issues, like kidney problems (uremia) or electrolyte imbalances.
Chest X-ray: This can help identify respiratory illnesses or other chest abnormalities.
Electrocardiogram (ECG): This checks your heart’s electrical activity.
Upper endoscopy: This procedure uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera to examine your esophagus and stomach.
Esophageal pH monitoring: This measures acid levels in your esophagus, checking for conditions like GERD.
If your doctor suspects a neurological cause for your chronic hiccups, they might order imaging studies. These include:
Brain MRI: This can show lesions or other abnormalities in your brain or spinal cord. It helps rule out conditions like tumors or strokes.
Chest CT: This provides detailed images of your chest, helping to identify issues not seen on an X-ray.
These diagnostic steps help your doctor pinpoint the reason for your constant hiccups. Then, they can recommend the right treatment.
Occasional hiccups are normal. However, constant hiccups warrant your attention and understanding. You now know their diverse causes, various relief strategies, and the critical importance of knowing when to see a doctor. Monitor your symptoms carefully. Do not hesitate to consult a healthcare provider if your hiccups are persistent, severe, or accompanied by other concerning signs. Take proactive steps for your health. Effective solutions are available to help you.
FAQ
What causes hiccups?
Hiccups happen when your diaphragm spasms. This pulls air into your lungs. Your vocal cords then snap shut. This makes the “hic” sound. Many things can trigger this reflex.
Can stress cause hiccups?
Yes, stress can cause hiccups. Strong emotions like excitement or anxiety can stimulate your nervous system. This can make your diaphragm spasm. These hiccups usually do not last long.
How long do hiccups usually last?
Most hiccups last only a few minutes. They usually stop on their own. If your hiccups last more than 48 hours, doctors call them “persistent.” If they last over a month, they are “intractable.”
When should I worry about my hiccups?
You should see a doctor if your hiccups last more than 48 hours. Also, seek medical help if you have other symptoms. These include vomiting, trouble breathing, or chest pain.
Are there any simple ways to stop hiccups?
You can try holding your breath for 10 to 20 seconds. You can also try sipping ice water. Some people find pulling on their tongue helps. These methods often interrupt the hiccup reflex.