Hiccups

Synonym

Singultus

Definition

Hiccups are sudden contractions of the diaphragm that irregularly or regularly cause parts of the air in the windpipe to be suddenly squeezed out.

Causes of hiccups

The causes of hiccups can be completely different. Depending on the age of the affected patient, different causes can be considered. Also the frequency of the occurrence of hiccups changes with age.

For example, hiccups can occur as a result of eating too quickly. This is the most common reason for hiccups in babies and small children. It is caused by eating too large quantities too quickly or by not chopping the food properly and then swallowing it whole.

Large pieces of food thus enter the oesophagus and stretch it briefly. At the same time, the transition of the food from the esophagus to the stomach is more difficult, since there is a natural constriction. These stretches of the esophagus cause irritation of the nerves, which can lead to hiccups.

Especially cold, especially hot food or drinks such as tea and coffee can lead to hiccups due to an irritation of the nerves. This cause is more likely to occur in adults. In this case the so-called phrenic nerve is also irritated.

This is responsible for the innervation of the muscles of the diaphragm. Another cause of hiccups is especially carbonated beverages such as cola or mineral water. They lead to an increased distension of the stomach and furthermore again to an irritation of the diaphragm.

The consumption of alcoholic beverages or high-proof alcohol can also lead to hiccups. At the same time, the consequences of increased alcohol consumption, such as increased stomach acid production or damage to the mucous membrane of the oesophagus, can also lead to hiccups. Nicotine and stress can also promote the occurrence of hiccups.

There are also some diseases, especially inflammation in the body, which can be the cause of hiccups. These include above all inflammation in the area of the gastrointestinal tract. Inflammation of the oesophagus, gastric mucosa, but also inflammation of the pancreas are particularly relevant.

At the same time, an irritation of the diaphragm can lead to the development of hiccups. Irritation of the diaphragm can, for example, result from operations in the abdominal cavity. A pregnancy can also cause hiccups.

On the one hand, once the embryo reaches a certain size, it irritates the diaphragm. On the other hand, the increasing size of the baby displaces the organs located in the abdomen, which in turn exert pressure on the diaphragm and irritate the phrenic nerve. In most cases the sudden hiccups disappear within minutes or hours.

In rare cases, however, the hiccups may become chronic, lasting days or weeks. Depending on the cause of the hiccups and after treatment of the triggering disease, the hiccups disappear sooner or later. In very rare cases, hiccups last a lifetime and require special treatment.

Hiccups can be a preliminary stage of diaphragmatic spasm. Such a spasm can sometimes cause great pain and has various triggers. In principle, the singultus is harmless and, due to its usually short duration, does not require treatment.

If hiccups last for a long time or occur frequently, on the one hand an enormous psychological strain is a reason for the treatment, on the other hand ventilation conditions brought into disorder by the hiccups can lead to an enormous drop in performance and even to life-threatening situations. People suffering from chronic hiccups will not inhale and exhale physiologically, but the body will receive small oxygen rations in irregular doses, regardless of whether they need more or not. It is therefore quite possible that a chronic oxygen debt and undersupply of oxygen to the organism occurs, which leads to a massive drop in performance.

Nocturnal sleep disturbances, which also result from chronic hiccups, also cause a severe reduction in performance. In the vast majority of cases, men are affected by the phenomenon of hiccups. It is not clear why women are less affected.In addition to a frequency of illness in childhood, there is a peak in frequency in adult men and less in older men.

Hiccups are a diagnosis of the gaze. The diagnosis of the triggering cause ranges from the usual physical examination of the abdominal and thoracic organs to the preparation of a computer tomography, in which adhesions of the abdominal cavity or malignant changes can be made visible. Since hiccups are a harmless disease and usually disappear quickly on their own, there is no need to see a doctor.

If an acute hiccup does not go away on its own, but persists for a longer period of time, it is advisable to consult a doctor. A patient affected by hiccups often asks himself what he can do against a rather annoying hiccup. There are a number of tips and tricks that can be used in the acute situation to try to end a hiccup.

These include, for example, holding your breath for a few seconds. It is possible that swallowing at the same time can lead to the termination of a hiccup. You can also try to drink a glass of still water during the hiccups without breathing in between.

All possible measures are ultimately aimed at calming breathing and the irritated diaphragm. One should therefore try to breathe in and out evenly and calmly. It may also be helpful if you try to breathe into your stomach.

Some patients also find it helpful to use relaxation exercises. Curiously, some patients have hiccups that disappear when they are frightened or startled. In addition, one should take care to eat one’s meals slowly and chew them well.

If alcohol or smoking should lead to hiccups, one should definitely avoid both stimulants. If hiccups occur due to other illnesses, then these basic illnesses should be treated, because then these hiccups are usually treated in the same way. Apart from the conventional medical therapy attempts with medicines there are numerous alternative medical approaches, which surely everyone has already tried out once.

At times, holding your breath for at least 30 seconds brings relief and makes the hiccups disappear again. In addition, drinking small amounts of ice-cold water several times a day can help to stop the hiccups. Distracting yourself and thinking about something other than hiccups can also lead to temporary improvement. This occurs especially when hiccups are vegetative (vegetative nervous system) and are caused by vegetative excitation. Clinical studies do not exist concerning all these alternative medical healing methods and everyone who has ever had hiccups will have to decide about the effectiveness and ineffectiveness.