Hiccups

Date Updated: 05/24/2017

Overview

Hiccups are involuntary contractions of the diaphragm — the muscle that separates your chest from your abdomen and plays an important role in breathing. Each contraction is followed by a sudden closure of your vocal cords, which produces the characteristic "hic" sound.

Hiccups may result from a large meal, alcoholic or carbonated beverages or sudden excitement. In some cases, hiccups may be a sign of an underlying medical condition. For most people, a bout of hiccups usually lasts only a few minutes. Rarely, hiccups may persist for months. This can result in weight loss and exhaustion.

Symptoms

Hiccupping is a symptom. It may sometimes be accompanied by a slight tightening sensation in your chest, abdomen or throat.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment to see your doctor if your hiccups last more than 48 hours or if they are so severe that they cause problems with eating, sleeping or breathing.

Causes

The most common triggers for hiccups that last less than 48 hours include:

Drinking carbonated beverages
Drinking too much alcohol
Eating too much
Excitement or emotional stress
Sudden temperature changes
Swallowing air with chewing gum or sucking on candy

Hiccups that last more than 48 hours may be caused by a variety of factors, which can be grouped into the following categories.

Nerve damage or irritation

A cause of long-term hiccups is damage to or irritation of the vagus nerves or phrenic nerves, which serve the diaphragm muscle. Factors that may cause damage or irritation to these nerves include:

A hair or something else in your ear touching your eardrum
A tumor, cyst or goiter in your neck
Gastroesophageal reflux
Sore throat or laryngitis

Central nervous system disorders

A tumor or infection in your central nervous system or damage to your central nervous system as a result of trauma can disrupt your body's normal control of the hiccup reflex. Examples include:

Encephalitis
Meningitis
Multiple sclerosis
Stroke
Traumatic brain injury
Tumors

Metabolic disorders and drugs

Long-term hiccups can be triggered by:

Alcoholism
Anesthesia
Barbiturates
Diabetes
Electrolyte imbalance
Kidney disease
Steroids
Tranquilizers

Risk factors

Men are much more likely to develop long-term hiccups than are women. Other factors that may increase your risk of hiccups include:

Mental or emotional issues. Anxiety, stress and excitement have been associated with some cases of short-term and long-term hiccups.
Surgery. Some people develop hiccups after undergoing general anesthesia or after procedures that involve abdominal organs.

Complications

Prolonged hiccups may interfere with:

Eating
Sleeping
Speech
Wound healing after surgery

Diagnosis

During the physical exam, your doctor may perform a neurological exam to check your:

Balance and coordination
Muscle strength and tone
Reflexes
Sight and sense of touch

If your doctor suspects an underlying medical condition may be causing your hiccups, he or she may recommend one or more of the following tests.

Laboratory tests

Samples of your blood may be checked for signs of:

Diabetes
Infection
Kidney disease

Imaging tests

These types of tests may be able to detect anatomical abnormalities that may be affecting the vagus nerve, phrenic nerve or diaphragm. Imaging tests may include:

Chest X-ray
Computerized tomography (CT)
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Endoscopic tests

These procedures utilize a thin, flexible tube containing a tiny camera, which is passed down your throat to check for problems in your esophagus or windpipe.

Treatment

Most cases of hiccups go away on their own without medical treatment. If an underlying medical condition is causing your hiccups, treatment of that illness may eliminate the hiccups. The following treatments may be considered for hiccups that have lasted longer than two days.

Medications

Drugs that may be used to treat long-term hiccups include:

Baclofen
Chlorpromazine
Metoclopramide

Surgical and other procedures

If less invasive treatments aren't effective, your doctor may recommend an injection of an anesthetic to block your phrenic nerve to stop hiccups.

Another option is to surgically implant a battery-operated device to deliver mild electrical stimulation to your vagus nerve. This procedure is most commonly used to treat epilepsy, but it has also helped control persistent hiccups.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Although there's no certain way to stop hiccups, if you have a bout of hiccups that lasts longer than a few minutes, the following home remedies may provide relief, although they are unproven:

Breathe into a paper bag
Gargle with ice water
Hold your breath
Sip cold water

If you have chronic hiccups, lifestyle changes may help:

Avoid carbonated beverages and gas-producing foods
Eat smaller meals

Alternative medicine

When long-term hiccups don't respond to other remedies, alternative treatments, such as hypnosis and acupuncture, may be helpful.

Preparing for an appointment

While you may initially consult your family doctor about your persistent hiccups, he or she may refer you to a specialist if you have persistent or severe hiccups.

What you can do

You may want to write a list that includes:

Detailed descriptions of your symptoms
Information about medical problems you've had
Information about the medical problems of your parents or siblings
All the medications and dietary supplements you take
Questions you want to ask the doctor

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor may ask:

When did your hiccups start?
How often do they occur?
Is there anything that worsens or alleviates them?
What medications are you taking?
Have you had a sore throat or earache?
Do you have indigestion symptoms or bloating?
Have you had a sore throat or changes in your voice?
Have you had chest pain, a cough or difficulty breathing?
Do you have headaches or other neurological symptoms?