Hiccups are quite a common complaint and even though they are nothing to worry about, they are sure uncomfortable.
Regardless of how good habits you follow or how healthy you are, you are bound to face the issue at least once in a lifetime.
Sometimes, you might even face it frequently throughout the day or
several times during a week. But it’s up to you to not make the problem
of hiccups debilitating for you and want to know how to stop hiccups
immediately.
Let’s see what it really is, how it may affect you and how can you get rid of hiccups?
What are hiccups?
An episode of hiccups is a temporary problem that disappears on its own.
Let’s see it in depth here:
I am sure
you’d be aware of the diaphragm, the muscle that distinguishes
the heart and lungs from the abdominal cavity. It is an absolute
necessity for breathing. The muscle contracts making more room for the
lungs so more air can be taken in. When the diaphragm faces a sudden
involuntarily contraction repeatedly, the body faces hiccups.
A certain type of noise is made when hiccups occur when the glottis shuts off rapidly.
Are they good?
Absolutely
not! But if they occur in short bouts, there is nothing to be afraid
of. However, if they last longer than 48 hours, it’s best to take the
condition seriously.
A fact
worth noticing is that when fetuses (inside womb) face hiccups, experts
may speculate that it means they have evolved and the movement of lungs
for healthier breathing has grown.
What causes hiccups?
Hiccups are a strange complaint. They appear and disappear on their own and often without any serious consequences.
Episodes
lasting 48 hours or longer are ‘transient’ and demand expert attention.
Here are some common causes that trigger hiccups episodes:
- Fast/rapid eating
- Large meal or spicy food
- Bloated stomach
- Emotional excitement, imbalance (stress or negative feelings)
- Alcohol consumption
- Intake of hot or fizzy drinks
- Smoking
- Abrupt Air temperature changes
If you
are facing a hiccups episode that lasts longer than 48 hours, the case
may be referred to as protracted hiccups. The case may worsen as the
episode may last longer than a month referred to intractable hiccups.
It’s
fairly uncommon to see protracted and intractable hiccups cases. But,
it’s good to stay informed so here are the major causes that trigger the
issues:
- Respiratory complaints like Asthma, pneumonia, etc
- Cardiovascular disorders like Myocardial infarction, pericarditis, etc
- Gastrointestinal complaints like duodenal ulcer, gastresophageal reflux disease ( GORD), appendicitis, inflammatory bowel disease, etc
- Issues that aggravate the diaphragm like Hiatus hernia
- Conditions that aggravate the Vagus nerve
- Nervous system complaint like Multiple sclerosis, etc (Malignancy, Trauma, etc)
- Metabolic disorders
- Intake of medications like benzodiazepines, opioids, dexamethasone, etc
