What happens if you hiccup for a long time? Doctor answers

doctor, expert of the Hemotest laboratory

“Hiccups are a very common condition faced by both children and adults. In most cases, it goes away on its own within a few seconds or minutes. But sometimes it can indicate serious diseases. We will tell you more about the causes of prolonged hiccups and methods of its diagnosis”.

What is hiccup?

From a medical point of view, it is a reflex controlled by the brain. At this point, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles suddenly contract, the vocal slit closes, and breathing is held.

During the attack, the person feels a jolting contraction of the muscles in the pancreatic region. They occur at regular intervals. It is impossible to control this condition. Sometimes the intensity of hiccups can cause chest pain.

As a rule, the condition normalizes after a few minutes, in some cases after a few hours. In the second case, there are more symptoms such as sweating, redness or pallor of the skin, shortness of breath and heartburn.

Types of hiccups

Hiccups can be of two types:

• Short-term (or acute) – these are attacks that last less than 48 hours;

• permanent (or insurmountable) – involuntary contractions of the diaphragm, lasting more than two days, can reach a month or more.

The second option is the most dangerous, as it indicates serious health problems.

Causes of short-term hiccups

An attack of physiological hiccups can be provoked by hypothermia and overeating, eating too fast, dry or hard food, carbonated and alcoholic drinks, smoking on an empty stomach.

In children, it can appear due to the ingress of air into the stomach during feeding.

What is the danger of constant hiccups?

If the attacks are constant and occur several times a day, interfere with normal sleep or breathing, then this may indicate serious diseases. Among them:

• cerebral circulation disorders;
• trauma;
• brain or spinal cord tumors;
• diaphragmatic hernia;
• gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD);
• neoplasms of the esophagus, pancreas, stomach.

In addition, pathological hiccups can appear against the background of bronchitis, pneumonia, epilepsy, meningitis, encephalitis and Parkinson’s disease.

Prolonged hiccups can talk about chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Such as gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis. Sometimes it develops against the background of gynecological diseases, for example, endometritis and adnexitis.

If hiccups last more than eight hours in an adult and more than three hours – in a child, as well as accompanied by other symptoms (abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea, chest pain, dizziness), it is necessary to consult a doctor – internist or gastroenterologist. The specialist will prescribe laboratory tests and instrumental examinations, which will help to understand the causes and start treatment.

Also provoke attacks can provoke psychological reactions, such as overexcitement, stress and hyperventilation of the lungs. Or undergone surgical interventions: bronchoscopy, endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract and tracheostomy.

The appearance of this reflex can be caused by taking drugs (chemotherapeutic drugs, morphine, ethanol, donepezil and dexamethasone).

The same reaction can be with intoxication of the body (especially with ethanol and medications). It is important to remember that with thermal conditions and severe illnesses, hiccups will indicate an unfavorable course. Most often it occurs with poisoning with ethanol, medications.

Diagnosis and treatment

Determine the causes of hiccups help general and biochemical blood tests, gastroscopy, radiography and sonography of the abdomen, ultrasound of the gallbladder, MRI of the brain and spine. In some cases, CT or MSCT of individual organs is also required.

Treatment will depend on the cause that caused this condition. For example, if the attacks are associated with a tumor of the brain, spine, esophagus, or stomach, surgery will most likely be required.

Autoimmune diseases and other conditions are treated with medication. Medications, their dosage and duration of intake are determined by the attending physician. If a person’s well-being is rapidly deteriorating, it is necessary to call an ambulance as soon as possible. Such a condition can be a sign of severe intoxication or brain pathology.

How to stop hiccups?

There are several ways. You can try to hold your breath or take a few deep breaths, sit or lie in the fetal position (hugging your knees). A glass of cold water, a slice of lemon, or a neck or shoulder massage can also help. Usually one of these methods will get you through an attack in 15 minutes or even faster.

Other options include pulling the tongue to work on the nerves and muscles in the throat, pressing on the diaphragm, holding an ice cube in the mouth, or rinsing the throat with cold water. Sucking honey or a piece of sugar will also help.

If these actions do not work, you should contact a doctor for help.