Do you suffer from chronic hiccups? Here’s when to seek treatment

Hiccups happen when the diaphragm, a muscle located below the lungs, contracts suddenly, causing the vocal cords to close quickly, producing a characteristic ‘hic’ sound. Usually, hiccups would be gone within a few minutes. However, in certain rare cases, chronic hiccups may be a sign of an underlying disease. When hiccups occur, the process of inhaling air into the lungs is briefly interrupted. Meanwhile, hiccups can be triggered by a variety of factors.

Eating or drinking too quickly, drinking carbonated beverages, hot liquids, alcohol, gastric troubles, stress, strong emotional outbursts, overeating, swallowing air while eating, and medications like anaesthesia or steroids are all triggers of hiccups. Chronic or prolonged hiccups may be associated with certain health conditions. Difficulty eating could cause severe weight loss and dehydration. Hiccups may even interfere with speaking, causing miscommunication or a communication gap. Delay in wound healing, bleeding after surgery, irregular heart rates, gastroesophageal reflux disease, sudden awakenings from sleep and social ostracism are some of the problems caused by chronic hiccups.

Hiccups could be calmed by slowly sipping cold water and gargling. You could also try holding your breath for a few seconds. Hiccups can be calmed by applying gentle pressure to the nose, diaphragm, and tongue. Eating sugary or sour foods could be helpful. Swallowing sugar crystals, biting into lemon rind, or sipping a small quantity of vinegar may help calm hiccups. Breathing into a paper bag, holding your knees close to your chest, and pressing your chest by leaning forward may also be tried.

Gently touching the throat or rubbing the eyes may help stop hiccups. Hiccups that last for more than 48 hours are referred to as chronic hiccups and are often associated with severe underlying health conditions. Stroke, nervous damage, heart attack, pneumonia, cancer, side effects of cancer treatment, pancreatitis and discomfort or inflammation in the oesophagus are some of the causes of chronic hiccups. A medical practitioner should be consulted if the hiccups become uncontrollable or if your sleep, eating, or speech is disrupted. Be cautious if hiccups are accompanied by chest pain, fever, or vomiting.