Hiccups
Medical Author:
John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEPJohn P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Medical Editor:
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhDDr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
Hiccups OverviewHiccups are sudden, involuntary contractions of the diaphragm muscle. As the muscle contracts repeatedly, the opening between the vocal cords snaps shut to check the inflow of air and makes the hiccup sound. Irritation of the nerves that extend from the neck to the chest can cause hiccups. Although associated with a variety of ailments (some can be serious such as pneumonia or when harmful substances build up in the blood for example from kidney failure), hiccups are not serious and have no clear reason for occurring. Rarely, their presence causes health problems such as speech changes or interference with eating and sleeping. Viewer Comments & ReviewsHiccups - ExperienceThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:Please describe the symptoms related to Please describe your experience with hiccups. Hiccups - TreatmentThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What treatments were effective for your hiccups? |
A very full stomach can cause bouts of hiccups that go away on their own. A full stomach can be caused by:
SOURCE:
Healthwise
Find out what women really need.
The term "hiccup" derives from the sound of the event. "Hiccough" erroneously implies an association with respiratory reflexes.
|
|
|
©2013 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
eMedicineHealth does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See Additional Information. |
