hiccup

synonym

Singultus

English: hiccup

definition

Hiccups are sudden contractions of the Diaphragmthat are irregular or regular to the sudden extrusion of parts of the windpipe air.

Causes of the hiccups

The causes of hiccups can be completely different. Depending on the age of the affected patient, different causes can be considered.
The frequency of hiccups also changes with age. For example, hiccups can result from eating too quickly.

This is the most common cause of hiccups in babies and young children. You eat too large quantities too quickly or the food is not properly chopped up and then swallowed whole.
Large pieces of food get into the esophagus and stretch it briefly. At the same time, the passage of the food from the esophagus to the stomach is made more difficult because there is a natural constriction there.
This stretching of the esophagus causes nerve irritation, which can lead to hiccups. Particularly cold and particularly hot food or drinks such as tea and coffee can lead to hiccups due to irritation of the nerves.

This cause is more likely to apply to adults. The so-called Phrenic nerve irritated. This is responsible for the innervation of the muscles of the diaphragm.

Another possible cause of hiccups are carbonated drinks such as cola or mineral water. They lead to an increased stretching of the stomach and furthermore to an irritation of the diaphragm.
The consumption of alcoholic beverages or high-proof alcohol can also lead to the occurrence of hiccups.
At the same time, the consequences of increased alcohol consumption such as increased gastric acid production or damage to the esophageal lining can lead to hiccups.

Nicotine and stress can also make hiccups more likely. There are also some diseases, especially inflammation in the body, which can be the cause of hiccups. These include above all inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.
Inflammation of the esophagus, gastric mucosal inflammation, but also inflammation of the pancreas are particularly suitable for this.
At the same time, irritation of the diaphragm can lead to the development of hiccups. An irritation of the diaphragm can result, for example, from operations in the abdomen.

Learn more about: Diaphragmitis

Pregnancy can also cause hiccups. On the one hand, the embryo irritates the diaphragm from a certain size and on the other hand, the increasing size of the baby displaces the organs in the abdomen, which in turn also exert pressure on the diaphragm and the Phrenic nerve irritate.

Read more on the topic: Causes of the hiccups

Chronic hiccups

In most cases, the sudden hiccups will go away within a few minutes or hours. In rare cases, however, the course of the hiccup come, which can take days and weeks. Depending on Cause of the hiccups and after treating the offending disease, the hiccups will sooner or later go away. In very rare cases, the hiccups last a lifetime and require special treatment.

Hiccups can be a precursor to diaphragmatic spasm. Such a cramp can sometimes cause great pain and has various triggers.

Dangers of hiccups

In principle, the singultus is harmless and, due to its mostly short duration, does not require treatment. In the case of long-lasting or frequent hiccups, on the one hand enormous psychological stress is a reason for the treatment; on the other hand, ventilation conditions disordered by the hiccups can lead to an enormous drop in performance and even life-threatening situations. Those who suffer from chronic hiccups will not breathe in and out physiologically, but rather the body receives small oxygen fractions in irregular doses, regardless of whether it needs more or not. It may well happen that there is a chronic oxygen debt and an undersupply of the organism, which leads to a massive drop in performance. Nightly sleep disorders, which also result from chronic hiccups, also cause a severe decrease in performance.

Epidemiology

In the vast majority of cases, men are affected by the phenomenon of hiccup affected. It is not clear why women are less likely to be affected. In addition to the incidence of the disease in childhood, there is an incidence peak in adult men and less so in older men.

diagnosis

Hiccups are a visual diagnosis. The diagnosis of the triggering cause ranges from the usual physical examination of the abdominal and chest organs to the preparation of one Computed Tomography, in which adhesions of the abdomen or malignant changes can be made visible.

What to do if you have hiccups

Since hiccups are harmless diseases and usually go away quickly on their own, you don't need to see a doctor.
If an acute hiccup does not go away on its own but persists over a longer period of time, then it is advisable to see a doctor.

A patient affected by the hiccups often wonders what they can do about a rather annoying hiccup. There are a number of tips and tricks that you can use to try to stop hiccups in the acute situation.
This includes, for example Holding your breath over a few seconds.
Swallowing at the same time may stop the hiccups. You can also try to drink a glass of still water during the hiccups without breathing in between.

All possible measures are ultimately aimed at calming the breathing and the irritated diaphragm. So you should try to inhale and exhale evenly and calmly. It may also help if you try to breathe into your stomach.
Some patients also benefit from doing relaxation exercises. In some patients, curiously, hiccups go away when they are startled or startled.
You should also be careful to eat your meals slowly and chew them well. If alcohol or smoking lead to the occurrence of hiccups, then you should definitely avoid both stimulants.
If hiccups occur due to other illnesses, then these basic illnesses should be treated, since these hiccups are usually treated as well.

Alternative medical therapies

In addition to conventional medical therapy attempts with drugs, there are numerous alternative medical approaches that everyone has already tried out for themselves. At times this brings Holding your breath for at least 30 seconds Relief and makes the hiccups go away again. Also, drinking small, multiple sips of ice-cold water can stop the hiccups. Distracting yourself and thinking about something other than the hiccups can also lead to temporary improvement. This occurs especially when the hiccups are vegetative (Autonomic Nervous System) is conditioned and comes about through vegetative arousal. Clinical studies do not exist with regard to all these alternative medical healing methods and everyone who has ever had hiccups will have to decide for themselves whether they are effective or ineffective.

Getting rid of the hiccups

There are a number of general household tips that can be used to get rid of hiccups.
However, the response to these many different tips varies greatly, so there are many ways to try to see if they can get rid of hiccups.
Probably the most popular tip is to hold your breath for a long time.
Another well-known tip is to be frightened by friends or acquaintances. To get rid of hiccups, it is sometimes helpful to take a few sips and not breathe in between.

If you have had hiccups from drinking alcohol or smoking, it is advisable to leave out these noxae. However, all of these tips may also help prevent hiccups. If the hiccups do not stop on their own after a certain time, you should consult a doctor to clarify possible causes.

Baby hiccups

Babies in particular are prone to frequent hiccups.
They have hiccups before they are even born. One guess is that these hiccups in the mother's stomach are some sort of Protective reflex from the amniotic fluid is.

In addition, hiccups in the fetus are said to be a kind ofLung exercise“To prepare them for the postpartum situation. Babies also have frequent hiccups after birth.
Drinking breast milk too quickly and hastily from the breast or drinking from the bottle can cause hiccups in the diaphragm and especially in the diaphragm Phrenic nerve irritate. A full, strained stomach can also potentially be another cause of baby hiccups.
This occurs when too much food is consumed or when air enters the stomach from swallowing too quickly.
Hiccups are then used by tensing the muscles in an attempt to move the swallowed air out of the stomach in order to create more space for food.

Read more about the topic here Baby hiccups

Hiccups from alcohol

Alcohol can also be a possible cause of hiccups.
Carbonated drinks such as Cola or Sprite are often mixed with high percentage alcohol.
In this case, not only the alcohol is a possible reason for the hiccups, but also the carbonic acid.

The stomach is distended by the carbon dioxide and then irritates the diaphragm. The same effect occurs when drinking beer. But even pure alcohol can cause hiccups.
Since alcohol is a cell poison, it often directly attacks the cells of the mucous membrane. It can lead to direct nerve irritation and cause hiccups.
Cold also plays an important role in drinking alcohol in connection with the occurrence of hiccups. Cold drinks, even if they are not alcoholic, are also a common trigger for hiccups. They are often mixed with alcohol. At the same time, regular alcohol consumption leads to acidification of the stomach.
The acidic gastric juice can then get into the esophagus and irritate the mucous membrane there, which in turn can lead to hiccups. Does the so-called just described occur more often Reflux, it can lead to chronic inflammation of the esophageal lining.

Hiccups when smoking

Also the Cigarette smoke is a possible cause of hiccups.
When smoking, the smoke reaches the lungs through inhalation and at the same time comes into contact with the mucous membrane of the esophagus.
Like alcohol, nicotine smoke is a cell poison. Smoking irritates the lining of the esophagus and the windpipe, which can lead to hiccups as well as coughing. Too much air may be swallowed when smoking.
The increased swallowing of air leads to stomach overinflation, which in turn directly affects the diaphragmatic nerve Phrenic nerve irritates and can lead to hiccups. If lung cancer develops as a result of smoking, it is also possible that there is direct contact with the tumor due to the increase in size and possible spread of the tumor Phrenic nerve originated.
By displacing and infiltrating the nerve by the tumor, this stimulus can also contribute to the development of hiccups.

Summary

Under hiccup or Singultus called, one usually understands suddenly occurring rhythmic contractions of the diaphragm with the following forcing the breath out against the closed glottis, which leads to the typical hiccups. During the hiccups there is an increased and uncontrolled activity of the diaphragm, which plays the greatest role in the breathing process (the contraction of the diaphragm becomes the lung stretched and the necessary breathing air reaches the lungs through a negative pressure. The most common cause of hiccups is because the stomach becomes too full of air.
Eating too quickly can get too much air into the stomach and irritate the diaphragm. Cold water or spicy food is also blamed for sudden hiccups.
The diaphragm becomes through the Phrenic nerve and the N. vagus provided. If these nerves are irritated, sudden hiccups can also occur. Vegetative situations, such as Excitement or shock results in hiccups that will soon recur. In addition to these numerous rather harmless causes, there are also serious diseases, such as Tumor diseases that put pressure on the diaphragm or the corresponding nerves and can thus trigger hiccups, but which usually become chronic. Adhesion of structures near the diaphragm or nerves from previous operations can also lead to hiccups. In most cases, therapy for simple hiccups is not necessary, as these will disappear after a few minutes or hours. Numerous home remedies exist, ranging from holding your breath for 30 seconds to holding your breath autogenic training and for drinking cold water.

For chronic hiccups, drugs of the benzodiazepine type or neuroleptic type can be administered. In rare cases of hiccups lasting several weeks or months, in addition to eliminating the underlying disease that triggered the disease, the affected person must also be destroyed Phrenic nerve to think. The breathing activity would then be taken over by the opposite nerve. Due to the numerous risks of the procedure, surgical ligation of the Phrenic nerve However, it is the very last treatment option.