Is frequent hiccups a danger sign? What do the doctors say?

Do you remember the last time you had hiccups?

Some people get hiccups often, some people get hiccups once in a while. But do you know why and how these hiccups occur?

What is hiccups?

Involuntary contractions of the diaphragm muscle are medically referred to as 'hiccups'.

This muscle, called the diaphragm, is located at the point where the chest and abdomen are separated.

This muscle plays an important role in human breathing.

Hiccups are called 'singult' in medical terms. It is derived from the Latin word cingult.

'Singult' in Latin means "to hold one's breath while crying".

For most of us, hiccups can be annoying. For many they don't last long.

But some people get hiccups that last for more than two days.

How do hiccups occur?

Hiccups are a reflex expression of many body parts. Hiccups are a form of sensory changes in the neuromotor pathway in our body.

A person gets hiccups due to sensory changes in the brain, ears, nose, throat, diaphragm, chest and stomach.

This sensation is carried to the brain and registered in an area of ​​the brain that is in contact with the upper part of the spinal cord. This is called the 'hiccup centre'.

This sensory signal returning from the hiccup center causes friction in the muscles of the diaphragm and ribs in the chest area, causing hiccups.

A sudden contraction of this muscle forces more air into the lungs. The resulting changes in the vocal cords produce the sound of hiccups.

How Hiccups Are Induced?

Hiccups are caused by actions affecting the reflex arc in the body.

Doctors say that overeating is the most common cause of hiccups.

When we drink a carbonated beverage or eat a large plate of food, our stomach muscles expand accordingly.

When this change occurs, the sensory pathway is stimulated, causing us to hiccup after eating.

Spicy food, alcohol, cigarettes, too much excitement are also causes of hiccups.

Hiccups in the womb are also sometimes detected by ultrasound scans. At birth, some researchers believe that babies hiccup in preparation for drawing air into their lungs.

What to do to stop hiccups?

If you get hiccups normally, some people will tell you to drink water in our town. Some will advise you to eat white rice in balls.

It doesn't always work. Especially if some people get hiccups, they last up to 48 hours.

Doctors say that hiccups that last less than 48 hours are nothing to worry about. These types of hiccups resolve automatically after a certain period of time.

But what if your hiccups don't stop?

When hiccups don't stop on their own, we need to control the emotional curve that causes hiccups.

To do this we have to try the 'Valsalva maneuver'. Try to stop hiccups in 4 stages according to this method.

Take a deep breath in, close your mouth and hold your breath through your nose.

The breath taken in should be held for 15 to 20 seconds without letting it out through the nose and mouth.

After 20 seconds open the mouth and exhale.

If the hiccups do not stop, repeat the same process.

Apart from this, doctors suggest that when hiccups occur, you can stop the hiccups by drinking very cold drinks and applying light pressure on the eyelids.

Breathing into a paper or plastic bag can increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood and control the muscles that cause hiccups.

But by doing this, the chances of a heart attack are minimal. However, doctors say that this method to stop hiccups should be followed only under medical supervision as the effects can be serious.

But researchers believe there is little evidence that this method can stop hiccups.

Are hiccups a concern?

If hiccups in humans last for more than two days, it is called 'persistent hiccups'. If it lasts more than two months, it is called 'intractable hiccups'.

Both these types of hiccups are called 'chronic hiccups'. Persistent hiccups cause mental distress. It is necessary to consult doctors to correct this.

People with chronic hiccups should get themselves a thorough medical examination. That test can help find the cause of their hiccups.

Chronic hiccups are caused by anticonvulsant drugs, alcohol, smoking, and narcotics.

Doctors may recommend a lung scan or endoscopy of the throat to find the cause of your persistent hiccups.

Ear, nose and throat should also be checked. This test will determine if your eardrums are being stimulated by a lump or dust in your ear.

Doctors say that if facial muscles are weakened due to hiccups or there is a speech disorder, it is necessary to have a brain scan.

What is the treatment for chronic hiccups?

After testing has identified the cause of chronic hiccups, treatment should be undertaken to correct it.

When hiccups occur due to heartburn or indigestion, medicines can be taken as prescribed to correct it.

Also take medicines to improve muscle tone and use them as per the doctor's advice.