Diaphragmatic spasm

A diaphragmatic spasm is a sudden contraction of the diaphragm, which can manifest itself as hiccups and severe pain in the upper abdomen. Possible causes can be a diaphragmatic hernia or nerve irritation.The diaphragm (diaphragm) supports the human being decisively during the inhalation and separates as a large muscular and sinewy plate the chest from the abdominal area with the complete digestive tract. If the diaphragm is pinched, it is a diaphragmatic hernia or diaphragmatic hernia.

Due to a weakness in the muscles and tendons of the diaphragm, parts of the gastrointestinal tract (usually the esophagus, possibly also parts of the stomach) are displaced upwards through the diaphragm into the thorax. In this process, the diaphragm is only indirectly trapped. Actually, it is rather a dilatation of a physiological opening in the diaphragm.

Since the esophagus connects the mouth with the stomach and lies in the thorax, it must pass through the diaphragm. Therefore, the diaphragm is not a continuous plate, but has holes; through one of these openings (hiatus oesophageus) the esophagus passes through and opens into the stomach. If increased pressure in the area of the abdomen causes the hole through which the esophagus passes to widen, the upper part of the stomach (in rare cases parts of the intestine) may slide into the chest area and cause problems.

The diaphragm is therefore only indirectly pinched, but it can feel like this to the patient. Often heartburn, nausea and sometimes even vomiting and pain in the area of the diaphragm are added. In this case, the patient should either take medication for heartburn (for example, antacids or proton pump inhibitors) or consider surgery.

Diaphragm tense

The diaphragm (diaphragm) is the most important respiratory auxiliary muscle of humans and ensures that we can breathe in (inspire). Exhalation (expiration) takes place of its own accord when we breathe at rest, but if we do sports and make physical exertion, the diaphragm must also support exhalation. But the diaphragm does not only play a decisive role in breathing.

The diaphragm is also enormously important when speaking, but especially when screaming or singing. Since the diaphragm is a large muscle with a sinewy plate in the middle, tension can also occur in the area of the diaphragm. The diaphragm tenses up especially when we overload it.

On the one hand, this can be the case during enormous sporting exertion, when the patient had to breathe in and out a lot and thus overstrained the diaphragm. On the other hand, it is possible that after a loud argument or longer singing, the diaphragm becomes tense, similar to a sore muscle. Especially inexperienced singers can cause the diaphragm to tense up because of the wrong strain on the diaphragm. In this case, it is recommended to visit a suitable singing teacher to get prophylactic exercises shown. In general, it is harmless if the diaphragm is tense and the patient should, especially as a preventive measure, do a suitable breathing exercise next time and, if the diaphragm is often tense, seek advice from a singing teacher, voice trainer or physiotherapist.