Hiccups

Surprising Benefits of Sex Slideshow Pictures Take the Quiz: The Human Body 25k1709 Causes of Fatigue Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John 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.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. 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.

View Full Profile

• Hiccups Overview
• Hiccups Causes
• Hiccups Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Hiccups Diagnosis
• Hiccups Treatment
• Hiccups Self-Care at Home
• Hiccups Medical Treatment
• Hiccups Next Steps
• Hiccups Prognosis
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Author and Editor
• Read more on Hiccups from Healthwise
• Viewer Comments: Hiccups - Experience
• Viewer Comments: Hiccups - Treatment

Hiccups Overview

Hiccups 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.

Hiccups Causes

Many conditions are associated with hiccups, but none has been shown to be the cause of hiccups.

• If a person eats too fast, he or she can swallow air along with food and end up with the hiccups.
• Any other practices that might irritate the diaphragm such as eating too much (especially fatty foods) or drinking too much (alcohol or carbonated drinks) can make a person prone to having hiccups.
• In these instances, the stomach, which sits underneath and adjacent to the diaphragm, is distended or stretched. Because they occur in relation to eating and drinking, hiccups are sometimes thought to be a reflex to protect a person from choking.
• Strokes or brain tumors involving the brain stem, and some chronic medical disorders (such as renal failure) are reported to cause hiccups; trauma to the brain, meningitis, and encephalitis may also cause them.
• Damage to the vagus or phrenic nerve may cause hiccups to last a long time.
• Some medications that can cause acid reflux may also have hiccups as a side effect. Most benzodiazepines, including diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan) can cause hiccups. In addition, medications such levodopa, nicotine, and ondansetron (Zofran).
• Noxious fumes can also trigger hiccup symptoms.
• A baby may hiccup after crying or coughing. This is common in babies in the first year. In some instances, babies with gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) could be more prone to hiccups.
• Anxiety and stress can induce both short and long-term hiccups