Hiccups occur involuntarily and are usually harmless. In most cases, the "hiccups" disappear on their own. If it lasts longer or occurs frequently (chronic hiccups), you should consult a doctor. In rare cases, serious illnesses can cause hiccups.
Here you will find further information and selected doctors for the treatment of hiccups.
Hiccups are medically referred to as singultus (Latin: sobbing, gasping).
Hiccups are caused by involuntary activation of the diaphragm and glottis. The diaphragm is the muscular partition between the chest and abdomen. The glottis is an opening between the vocal cords and controls the flow of air into the lungs.
During hiccups, the diaphragm repeatedly performs involuntary inhalation movements, followed by a rapid and noisy closure of the glottis.
Due to the sudden closure of the glottis, inhalation is interrupted. This means that air can no longer flow in unhindered. This results in the characteristichiccuping sounds, the "hiccups".
There are two types of hiccups: acute and chronic hiccups.
Acute hiccups occur suddenly. Although it is annoying, it is usually harmless. It usually stops on its own after a short time, usually after a few minutes.
Chronic hiccups last longer than two days or recur frequently. It can considerably restrict a person's quality of life. It therefore always requires medical examination and treatment.
The glottis is located in the larynx between the vocal cords and can be closed or open © bilderzwerg | AdobeStock
Hiccups can have various causes. They are usually caused by temporary irritation of the phrenic nerve . Such irritation can be caused by, among other things
can be triggered.
Also
can irritate the phrenic nerve in rare cases.
Hiccups also occur more frequently when the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood decreases, for example due to hyperventilation. Sometimes there is no identifiable cause for hiccups.
During hiccups, the body behaves for a fraction of a second as if it were inhaling. The sudden contraction of the diaphragm causes the chest cavity to expand and air is sucked into the lungs in a jerky manner.
This jerky inhalation of air causes the glottis to close involuntarily, interrupting inhalation. The inhaled air can then no longer flow in unhindered. It hits the closed glottis with the characteristic "hiccup" of a hiccup. This happens several times in succession.
Hiccups usually start suddenly and stop on their own after a few seconds or minutes. It is then a harmless acute hiccup that does not require medical examination or treatment.
Prolonged or recurrent hiccups should be examined by a doctor. They can determine the exact cause.
The diagnosis begins with a medical history interview. The doctor will first question the patient in detail to find out whether harmless factors are causing the hiccups. Common questions include
If this questioning can rule out harmless causes for the hiccups, further examinations are necessary. These include, in particular, imaging procedures such as
How hiccups are treated depends on how long they last and what is causing them. Acute hiccups can usually be easily treated, or at least shortened, with a number of well-known tricks and household remedies. These include in particular measures such as
Most of these home remedies are aimed at calming the breathing and diaphragm and increasing the carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Although the effectiveness of these measures has not been medically proven, they are definitely worth a try.
If the hiccups do not go away on their own or keep recurring, you should see a doctor.
Particularly persistent, agonizing hiccups can be treated with antispasmodic or sedative medication, for example.
If the hiccups are caused by illnesses such as inflammation or tumors, the chronic hiccups will subside once they have been successfully treated.
In very rare cases, surgical treatment, such as blocking the phrenic nerve, is also used.
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