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Hiccups
Definition:
A sound produced by unintentional movement of the muscle at the base of the lungs (diaphragm) followed by rapid closure of the vocal cords.

Alternative Names:
Singultus

Considerations:
Very often, hiccups start for no apparent reason and they usually disappear after a few minutes. Rarely, hiccups can persist for days, weeks, or months.
Common Causes:
  • no obvious cause
  • noxious fumes
  • hot and spicy foods or liquids
  • any disease or disorder that irritates the nerves that control the diaphragm (such as pleurisy or pneumonia)
  • stroke or tumor affecting the "hiccup" center in the brain
  • abdominal surgery
Home Care:
There is no sure way to stop hiccups, but there are a number of common suggestions that may be effective.
  • holding your breath
  • repeatedly breathing into a PAPER bag
  • drinking a glass of cold water
  • eating a teaspoon of sugar
Call your health care provider if:
  • hiccups persist for more than a few days.
What to expect at your health care provider's office:
If hiccups persist to the point of having to visit a doctor, then a medical history and physical examination will be performed.

Medical history questions documenting hiccups in detail may include:
  • time pattern
    • Do you get hiccups easily?
    • How long has this episode of hiccups lasted?
  • aggravating factors
    • Have you recently consumed something that was hot or spicy?
    • Have you recently consumed carbonated beverages?
    • Have you been exposed to any fumes?
  • relieving factors
    • What have you done to try to relieve the hiccups?
    • What has been effective for you in the past?
    • How effective was the attempt at home treatment?
    • Did the hiccups stop for a while and then restart
  • What other symptoms are present?
Diagnostic tests are not necessary unless a disease or disorder is suspected as the cause.

Interventions:
Massage of the carotid sinus in the neck, or gastric lavage may be done for persistent cases. THIS MUST BE DONE BY THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. DO NOT ATTEMPT CAROTID MASSAGE AT HOME! If hiccups continue, a phenothiazine (especially chlorpromazine) or nasogastric intubation (tube insertion) may provide relief.

If medical methods continue to fail (which rarely happens), treatment may include a phrenic nerve block.

After seeing your health care provider:
If a diagnosis was made by your health care provider related to persistent hiccups, you may want to note that diagnosis in your personal medical record.
Review Date: 11/30/2001
Reviewed By: Steven Angelo, M.D. Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, Hospital of Saint Raphael, New Haven, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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