Hiccups Overview
Learn About Hiccups
A hiccup is an unintentional movement (spasm) of the diaphragm, the muscle at the base of the lungs. The spasm is followed by quick closing of the vocal cords. This closing of vocal cords produces a distinctive sound.
Singultus
Hiccups often start for no apparent reason. They most often disappear after a few minutes. In rare cases, hiccups can last for days, weeks, or months. Hiccups are common and normal in newborns and infants.
Causes may include:
- Abdominal surgery
- Disease or disorder that irritates the nerves that control the diaphragm (including pleurisy, pneumonia, or upper abdominal diseases)
- Hot and spicy foods or liquids
- Harmful fumes
- Stroke or tumor affecting the brain
There is usually no specific cause for hiccups.
There is no sure way to stop hiccups, but there are a number of common suggestions that can be tried:
- Breathe repeatedly into a paper bag.
- Drink a glass of cold water.
- Eat a teaspoon (4 grams) of sugar.
- Hold your breath.
Contact your health care provider if hiccups go on for more than a few days.
If you need to see your provider for hiccups, you will have a physical exam and be asked questions about the problem.
Questions may include:
- Do you get hiccups easily?
- How long has this episode of hiccups lasted?
- Did you recently eat something hot or spicy?
- Did you recently drink carbonated beverages?
- Have you been exposed to any fumes?
- What have you tried to relieve the hiccups?
- What has been effective for you in the past?
- How effective was the attempt?
- Did the hiccups stop for a while and then restart?
- Do you have other symptoms?
Additional tests are only done when a disease or disorder is suspected as the cause.
To treat hiccups that do not go away, the provider may perform gastric lavage or massage of the carotid sinus in the neck. DO NOT try carotid massage by yourself. This must be done by a provider.
If hiccups continue, medicines may help. Tube insertion into the stomach (nasogastric intubation) may also help.
In very rare cases, if medicines or other methods do not work, treatment such as phrenic nerve block may be tried. The phrenic nerve controls the diaphragm.
Henry Ford Health System
Walid Mansoor-Arabo is an Internal Medicine provider in Livonia, Michigan. Dr. Mansoor-Arabo and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hiccups. His top areas of expertise are Rabson-Mendenhall Syndrome, Hypertension, Familial Hypertension, and Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism. Dr. Mansoor-Arabo is currently accepting new patients.
Roja Ramisetty is a Gastroenterologist in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Dr. Ramisetty and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hiccups. Her top areas of expertise are Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Chronic Erosive Gastritis, Gastritis, and Hepatitis C.
Ascension Medical Group Michigan
William White is a Family Medicine provider in Livonia, Michigan. Dr. White and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hiccups. His top areas of expertise are Hiccups, Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion (SIADH), Hypertension, and Familial Hypertension. Dr. White is currently accepting new patients.
Summary: Infantile spasms are defined by the occurrence of epileptic episodes characterized by the appearance of very specific motor seizures, made up of rapid, repeated contractions in flexion or extension known as spasms. This syndrome is of high concern as it will lead to mental retardation if it is not early identified and treated. Most often, spasms are characterized by sudden contractions of the body...
Summary: The COVID-19 Pandemic is the characterizing worldwide wellbeing emergency within recent memory. Since its development in Asia before the end of last year, the infection has spread to each mainland with the exception of Antarctica. Countries are dashing to moderate the spread of the illness by testing and treating patients, completing contact following, restricting travel, isolating residents, and ...
Published Date: February 02, 2023
Published By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
American Cancer Society website. Hiccups. www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/eating-problems/hiccups-and-heartburn.html. Updated February 1, 2020. Accessed February 6, 2023.
DeVault KR. Symptoms of esophageal disease. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 13.
National Institutes of Health, Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center website. rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6657/chronic-hiccups. Updated February, 2023 Accessed February 6, 2023.