Hiccups

Medically Reviewed on 11/29/2023

What are hiccups?

Hiccups
Hiccups can be prevented by avoiding overeating, eating too quickly, or drinking too much.

A hiccup is a sudden, involuntary contraction (spasm) of the diaphragm muscle. When the muscle spasms, the vocal cords snap shut, producing the hiccup sound. Most cases of hiccups can be cured or resolved in a short time, and rarely are they a medical emergency. See your doctor if hiccups last more than three hours, or if they disturb your eating or sleeping habits.

What causes hiccups?

Most of the time, there is no obvious cause for hiccups. However, there are some common known causes of hiccups.

Some causes of hiccups include:

  • Eating too quickly and swallowing air along with food.
  • Eating too much (fatty or spicy foods, in particular) or drinking too much (carbonated beverages or alcohol) can distend the stomach and irritate the diaphragm, which can cause hiccups.
  • Any disease or disorder that irritates the nerves that control the diaphragm (such as liver disease, pneumonia, or other lung disorders).
  • Abdominal surgery can also irritate the nerves that control the diaphragm, causing hiccups.
  • Strokes or brain tumors involving the brain stem, and some chronic medical disorders (such as renal failure) have also been reported to cause hiccups.
  • Noxious fumes can also trigger hiccups.
  • Sudden changes in temperature
  • Fear or excitement

Some medications may also have hiccups as a side effect, for example:

What are the symptoms of hiccups?

Sudden, forceful movement of the diaphragm, that causes the hiccup sound, is the only symptom of hiccups.

When should I contact my doctor for hiccups?

Most cases of hiccups resolve themselves in a short time and rarely are a medical emergency. See your doctor if hiccups last more than 3 hours, or if they disturb your eating or sleeping habits.

Seek medical attention if hiccups are associated with the following:

How do medical professionals diagnose the cause of hiccups?

Most of us know what a hiccup feels like and how to recognize it. In a medical setting, the diagnosis of hiccups is based on the physical evaluation. Blood tests or X-rays are usually not necessary unless your hiccups are a symptom of an associated medical condition.

Which specialties of doctors treat hiccups?

Hiccups generally go away on their own and do not require medical treatment, however, if hiccups last more than three hours or disturb eating or sleeping, you may see your primary care provider (PCP) such as a family practitioner, internist, or a child's pediatrician.

There may be many different specialists who treat hiccups depending on the underlying cause, for example:

  • If the cause is a stroke or other neurological disorder, you may see a neurologist (a specialist in the nervous system and brain).
  • If the cause is acid reflux, you may see a gastroenterologist (a specialist in disorders of the digestive system).
  • If the cause is lung disease or pneumonia, you may see a pulmonologist (a specialist in disorders of the respiratory tract).

SLIDESHOW

Weird Body Quirks: From Brain Freeze to Hiccupping See Slideshow

Is there medical treatment for hiccups?

Most hiccups will stop on their own. Home remedies are generally sufficient to resolve hiccups.

Treatment varies for persistent hiccups (lasting more than three hours), and you may need to contact your doctor.

  • A "hiccup bout" is an episode of hiccups that lasts up to 48 hours
  • "Persistent hiccups" continue for more than 48 hours, up to 1 month
  • "Intractable hiccups" last longer than 1 month

A healthcare professional may prescribe medications for severe, chronic hiccups. Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) is usually the first-line medication prescribed for hiccups. Other medications used to treat hiccups include baclofen (Lioresal, Gablofen) haloperidol (Haldol), and metoclopramide (Reglan).

Other muscle relaxants, sedatives, analgesics, and even stimulants have also been reported to help alleviate hiccup symptoms.

Phrenic nerve surgery (the nerve that controls the diaphragm) is a treatment of last resort. This treatment is rarely performed, and phrenic nerve surgery is used only in individuals with long-term hiccups who do not respond to other treatments.

How to get rid of hiccups at home

Home remedies for hiccups

There are numerous home cures for hiccups. You can try these methods at home to get rid of hiccups.

Techniques that stimulate the nasopharynx and the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain to the stomach, and can decrease hiccupping:

  • Gargling with water
  • Putting a cold compress on your face
  • Breathing into a paper bag
  • Blowing up a balloon
  • Drink a glass of water quickly
  • Have someone frighten you
  • Pull hard on your tongue
  • Bite on a lemon
  • Gargle with water
  • Drink from the far side of a glass
  • Taking deep, slow breaths
  • Sitting down and pulling your knees to your chest for one minute
  • Use smelling salts
  • Place a one-half teaspoon of dry sugar on the back of your tongue (this process can be repeated three times at two-minute intervals -- use corn syrup, not sugar, for young children)

How can hiccups in infants and babies be stopped?

As in adults, hiccups in newborns, infants, and babies are common and generally of no concern. If hiccups occur during feeding, stop feeding until the hiccups go away. Usually, the hiccups will "go away" in an infant or baby. You may try changing the position of the infant or baby; try to get your baby to burp, or calm him/her down to cure the hiccups. Sometimes resuming feeding will stop the hiccups. If your baby frequently has hiccups during feedings, feed your baby when he or she is already relaxed and is not overly hungry yet.

If your child's hiccups worsen or they seem to upset him, contact your pediatrician.

What is the prognosis of hiccups?

Hiccups (singultus) are usually harmless and last for a short duration. There is little evidence about the beneficial role of hiccups.

Studies report that hiccups may occur even when the baby is in the womb. Hiccups while in utero (in the mother's womb) may help exercise the muscles used for breathing.

Are there any complications of hiccups?

Because most cases of hiccups resolve themselves either spontaneously or with self-administered treatment, complications are extremely rare.

Prolonged hiccups may lead to several ill-effects such as:

Prolonged hiccups can interfere with eating or drinking, leading to dehydration, malnutrition, and weight loss. Additionally, they may interfere with recovery or wound healing after surgery.

Is it possible to prevent hiccups?

Hiccups cannot always be prevented. Avoiding overeating, eating too quickly, or drinking too much can help prevent hiccups.

Medically Reviewed on 11/29/2023
References
Wilkes, G., et al. "Hiccups." Medscape. Dec 29, 2017. <http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/775746-overview>.

Wilkes, G., et al. "Hiccups Treatment and Management." Medscape. Dec 29, 2017. <http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/775746-treatment>.

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/hiccups

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17672-hiccups

Wilkes, G. "Hiccups." Medscape. Updated: Dec 20, 2016.
<http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/775746-overview>