Hiccups

Everyone experiences hiccups from time to time, especially after eating too much food or drinking too much alcohol. But some people get hiccups frequently for no apparent reason, and the attacks can last a long time and be distressing.

Why hiccups occur

Hiccups (sometimes spelled hiccoughs) are caused by sudden contractions of the diaphragm. This is the large flat muscle that lies across the body, just below the lungs. At the same time, the glottis (a flap at the top of the windpipe) shuts off the windpipe, causing the ‘hic’ sound.

It used to be thought that the diaphragm itself was the cause. Later, it was believed that the nerves that control the diaphragm (the phrenic nerves) were firing inappropriately. Now it is thought that a ‘hiccups reflex centre’ in the upper spinal cord is responsible.

An ancient throwback?

Hiccups may be a throwback to 370 million years ago, when our ancient ancestors lived in the ocean and breathed with gills as well as lungs (New Scientist 8 February 2003). They needed to shut the glottis to stop water entering their lungs. Researchers think this mechanism remained because it allows babies to close the windpipe when sucking milk, so milk does not enter the lungs.

Triggers for hiccups

Hiccups can be triggered by:

sudden expansion of the stomach by swallowing air while eating
sudden expansion of the stomach by excessive eating or drinking
fizzy drinks
sudden excitement or emotional stress
acid reflux from the stomach.

If your hiccups are very persistent there could be a medical cause such as:

conditions that irritate nerves to the diaphragm (such as an enlarged thyroid)
some medications (such as methyldopa for blood pressure, some tranquillizers)
uncommonly, a low level of salt in the blood.

How to stop an attack of hiccups

Everyone has their favourite method for curing hiccups. Next time you have an attack try one of the following.
Find a drinking straw, and fill a glass with water. Then press on the front of your ears to close the earhole, and drink the entire glass of water without a pause. If you do not have a straw, ask a friend to press on the front of your ears while you drink from the glass without pausing (British Medical Journal 2006;333:1127).
Pull your tongue fairly forcefully.
Use a teaspoon to lift the uvula. This is the fleshy tag that hangs down from the back of the roof of the mouth [look at the section on snoring for a picture].
Use a cotton wool bud to tickle the roof of your mouth, at the point towards the back where the hard roof becomes softer.
Hold your breath for as long as possible, then swallow when you feel a hiccup is about to come.
Pant deeply.
Breathe into a paper bag ten times, holding the edges of the bag tightly against your face to make a good seal.
Swallow while holding your nose closed.
Take a teaspoonful of sugar, swallowed dry.
Gargle with water mixed with vinegar.
Bend forward and drink water from the wrong side of a glass.
Chew and swallow some dry bread.
Pull your knees up or lean forward to squeeze your chest.

Frequent, distressing hiccups

See your doctor if you suffer from frequent attacks of hiccups, or the attacks go on for a long time and distress you. Your doctor will give you a general check-up to make sure that there is no lung or stomach problem that is irritating the phrenic nerve, or any other cause. There are various drugs that can be used to treat extreme cases of hiccups. These include chlorpromazine, haloperidol and some anti-epileptic drugs. All these drugs have side effects, and do not work for everyone. In very, very rare cases, surgery to cut the phrenic nerve is needed.

Written by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Edited by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Last updated: Friday, February 12th 2010

Tell us your thoughts

Did you find what you were looking for?

Submit

Add a comment

A problem shared is a problem halved: help others by sharing your frustrations or successes at tackling your health problem.

We have noticed that many of your queries are answered on the website, so please search for your problem before submitting a comment. As all comments are moderated, there will be a delay before your comment appears.

Display Name Age: Sex: Country: Comment:

Submit

Discussion content reflects the view of individual participants only. Health Press Limited bear no responsibility for accuracy of participant comments and will bear no legal liability for discussion results. Comments will be moderated before posting and Health Press Limited reserves the right to delete any material. See About our site for our moderation policy

Comments on this article

Posted by Jem on 27/04/2010 at 02:50:55 pm

I started hiccuping in October, and between November and February I hiccuped pretty much everyday (not constantly, it would just be random hiccups throughout the day, as well as getting proper hiccups a few times) I told my doctor but they said I couldn't use any medication because it has bad side effects. It went away until this week, so I think they are back again. Is there anyway of reducing them seeing as I can't use the medication? Thanks! Jem x

Posted by Rose on 20/01/2010 at 04:29:00 pm

I suffer from hiccups almost every time i eat. What could be the cause of this?

Posted by Kelly on 12/01/2010 at 09:52:00 pm

I get one lonely hiccup too, after every meal, or just randomly. its really loud and gives people a fright.. i want to know whats going on, but feel silly going to the doctor!

Posted by Aubrey on 24/12/2009 at 01:47:00 am

i don't think i have excessive hiccups but i have them at like the same time every day... if i have them at 7:30 one night i'll have them at around 7:30 the next night.. and i like have them 3x's a day! any suggestions?

Posted by shree on 18/12/2009 at 07:29:00 pm

Thanku for the sweet solution. From 7 hours continuously hiccups was coming I was about to consult the doctor then i googled I got the answer of 9th point Take a teaspoonful of sugar, swallowed dry. Its really worked. Thank you very much for the sweet full answer.

Posted by John on 17/12/2009 at 12:43:00 pm

I just did the Swallow while holding your nose closed one and it worked right away. Thank God.

Posted by Frita on 15/12/2009 at 02:10:00 am

My heavens, I get hiccups every day. Usually it happens when I take showers, and get a small amount of soap in my navel. Then the hiccups just start rolling in, loud and clear, and my six year old daughter always makes fun of me.

Posted by Anonymous on 09/12/2009 at 01:44:00 am

i have a hiccup after everytime i eat it dosnt matter what i eat either. But i can have a meal or a snack but they are always there and they last for a very short period of time. What should i do and how are they caused? I have been diagnosed with reflux and the doctor says this dosnt have to do with anything of my hiccups

Posted by Ellie on 30/11/2009 at 08:32:00 am

I always get hiccups. Sometimes it will only be one every hour, or sometimes they'll be sudden and last for a while. I always have stomach pains after, does this mean anything? I've tried methods to stop them, but nothing seems to work!

Posted by zaid on 18/11/2009 at 05:16:00 am

wow, the firs method is so helpful. My friend who is 22 years had hiccups for more than 12 hours straight, I came to this site and read the first one here where you close the ears and it worked, it really worked. Thank you very much. We really were going to the hospital. thanks again.

Posted by Anonymous on 05/11/2009 at 02:24:00 am

On the category "HOW TO STOP A HICUP" the first option works really well!!

Posted by Shel on 12/10/2009 at 01:17:00 am

I've been having the hiccups for the past 4 weeks constantly, they don't irritate me at all, I just get them for five to ten minutes at a time then they go away for about an hour and come back again, I've just been told by my doctor that I need to get an MRI for this to see if I possibly need surgery. Yikes!

Posted by R on 21/09/2009 at 09:57:00 pm

I get the hiccups almost every 3rd day, usually they are quite loud and make me feel sick and last for a while. Is there anything wrong with me?

Posted by James S on 29/07/2009 at 02:57:00 pm

Almost everytime I sit down to eat a meal, I get hiccups while eating. I'm a slow eater and when I get them, I have to excuse myself and I usually vomit what I have just eaten. Could there be a medical condition connected with this?

Posted by Sissy on 17/07/2009 at 05:23:00 am

thanks your information was quite helpful. now i can pinpoint the cause of my hiccups. i have a problem with acid reflux but did not know they could be the cause of hiccups. your remedies rock. i tried a few of them and they worked.

Posted by bipin k chaurasia on 06/05/2009 at 10:13:00 am

a pt after his laparotomy.developed hiccups ,it was persistant till 3 days n more.w e tried alot of medications like metoclopramide, glycerine..,ng tube n others bt no relieve ,any other medication in yr thinking/?

Posted by Aubre Rae on 06/05/2009 at 12:21:00 am

I get the hiccups all the time for no reason, not even eating anything. But this helped a lot. I have hyperthyroidism and my thyroid is enlarged slightly. Had no idea it cause hiccups. Thanks! ^__^

Posted by Ali on 27/04/2009 at 01:20:00 am

My hiccups occur after every meal. It doesn't matter what I have but they'll be there when I finish. They don't last long but it sure is annoying.. my friends look for it everyday at lunch. It's a new game... probablly just my acid reflux!

Posted by Alissa on 24/03/2009 at 01:31:00 am

This was actually very helpful to me. I'm only just about to turn 17 but I get hiccups so frequntly that it has begun to worry me. They don't even last a long time, but I get them everyday, usually about 5 or more times. It's so strange and quite embarrassing. Especially since it's usually only like one or two at a given point. Now I realise it's probably just stress.

Posted by Anonymous on 14/03/2009 at 07:09:00 am

i get the hiccups just about every time i eat something, and its not because i eat fast because im always the last one done.

Posted by mickey man on 07/03/2009 at 07:10:00 pm

When i get hiccups they last for ages.I mainly get them after eating food or drinking too fast.I roughly get them about twice a week.The longest period i have had them was for 2 days.The only break i got was when i slept then in the morning they were back.Trying to eat and drink with hiccups is very hard.I have nearly choaked when i have had a drink.When that happens they come thick and fast.I know when i get them theu go eventually unlike the odd person who gets them worse.I do feel sorry when i hear people suffer badly from them though.

Posted by Anonymous on 28/12/2008 at 04:37:00 pm

I have one lonely hiccup very often. Could that be a symptom of some stomach problem?