By Terrie Johnson| Intern and UAB Community Health and Human Services Student

Medically, hiccups are synchronous diaphragmatic flutters or involuntary contractions of the diaphragm and the larynx. After each diaphragmatic contraction, the voice box simultaneously closes, resulting in a “hic” sound (Eroglu, 2018). Hiccups challenge eating or drinking, which may lead to energy loss and dehydration. Although many adults recover from hiccups within minutes, this medical problem can become serious in infants, especially if it lasts more than 2 hours. Overall, hiccups occur when the diaphragm involuntarily contracts.

Adults’ primary causes of hiccups include dietary complications, medications, and some medical conditions. Consuming spicy meals may irritate the phrenic nerve while overeating and could result in stomach distension (Eroglu, 2018). Besides, drinking carbonated drinks and alcohol could cause gas in the stomach, which creates pressure on the diaphragm. In addition, medications such as opiates and medical conditions, including gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), pneumonia, and pleurisy of the diaphragm, may cause hiccups. Lastly, in infants, changes in stomach temperature, swallowing too quickly, overfeeding, GERD, or asynchronous breathing and swallowing may cause hiccups. Overall, hiccups result from dietary complications, medical conditions, medications, and feeding problems.

In most instances, hiccups disappear after some minutes; however, if they persist, a person may adopt some strategies to mitigate the problem. Those strategies include sipping cold water slowly, placing gentle pressure on the diaphragm, biting a slice of lemon, gently pulling on the tongue, sitting down and hugging knees, and swallowing granulated sugar, among other strategies. Although there is no research backing the effectiveness of these approaches, different human generations have passed these tips on to the next, implying they help eliminate hiccups. Normally hiccups go away after a few hours; nevertheless, one can adopt the above strategies to end an episode of hiccups that lasts longer.

In summary, almost everyone experiences hiccups, which is an involuntary diaphragm contraction. The condition sometimes makes it challenging to eat or drink food. The primary causes of hiccups include dietary complications, medications, and some medical conditions. Feeding problems are the primary source of hiccups in infants. Nevertheless, one may get rid of a persistent hiccup by sipping cold water slowly, biting on a piece of lemon, and pulling the tongue, among other approaches. When you experience hiccups, what strategies do you use to end them?

References

Eroglu, O. (2018). The effect of gender differences in protracted hiccups. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice, 21(10), 1356-1360. https://doi.org/10.4103/njcp.njcp_101_18.