HICCUPS, ITS CAUSES AND CURE

 

WHAT IS HICCUPS?

It comes from the word “singult,” meaning to “catch ones breath while sobbing”.

A scientific definition of hiccups is stated as “it is an involuntary spasm of diaphragm (the muscle that separates your chest and abdomen- have an important role in breathing) and respiratory organs, with a sudden closure of glottis and a characteristic gulping sound”. It is a temporary or minor problem or setback. Hiccups are often rhythmic and of a temporary minor annoyance but if they prolonged, it is a sign of any major medical complication.

CAUSES

Most of the time there are no causes for hiccups but medical workers have observed some common causes:

*Eating too quickly and swallowing air along foods

*Heart burning

*Emotional stress

*Sudden change in temperature

*Swallowing air wuth chewing gum or sucking on candy

*Eating too much junk food-that contain mostly fatty acid and consuming carbonated beverages and alcohol that can distend stomach and cause irritation of diaphragm, which can cause hiccups.

*Any disease that can cause irritation of nerves that control diaphragm such as pneumonia, lung disorder or liver diseases

*Abdominal surgeries can also cause the irritation of nerves that control the diaphragm, causing hiccups

*Strokes or brain tumors involving the brain stem or some chronic medical disorder such as renal failure can also be a cause of hiccups.

*Noxious fumes can also cause hiccups

*fear or excitement

Use of some medicines can also cause hiccups as a side effect of a particular medicine. Such as

*medicines used for the treatment of acid reflux

*use of medicines like levodopa, nicotine, andansetron (zofran)

*most benzodiazepines, including diazepam (valium), alprazolam, and lorazepum (ativan)

                CAN HICCUPS BE SERIOUS, DANGEROUS OR JUST ANNOYING?

Generally hiccups are no dangerous. Hiccups, that sometimes called as hiccoughs are not serious itself as they are just a sign of health problem. But if hiccups lasts for more than 48 hours it can be dangerous and indicates kidney failure, pneumonia, lung tumors, digestion problem or sometime in rare condition, heart attack.

HICCUPS IN NEWBORN

Newborn hiccups are mostly cause by baby overfeeding, eating too quickly or swallowing of air or anything that causes distension. This distends the stomach and distended stomach itself pushes diaphragm, which causes it to spam and ultimately causes hiccups.

It may also caused by following different scenarios

*Sudden change in baby stomach, for example sudden feeding of too hot or too cold milk or cereal

*Apart from swallowing air, a totally different cause is gastroesophageal reflux or GER as it is often called.

Babies can have hiccups multiple times a day that can last for 10 minutes.

HOW TO STOP BABIES FROM HICCUPS?

In breastfed babies following tips and tricks can help in preventing hiccups:

*Burp your baby as you switch feeding from one breast to other

*If swallowing air seems to be the main issue, it’s a good idea to reevaluate latch. Make sure that your baby lips sealed around the areola of the breast not just the nipples.

In bottle-fed babies following are recommended to follow:

*Completing the feeding while baby is relaxed can actually stop or end hicccuping.

*Try repositioning the bottle so that air doesn’t enter the bottle.

PRECAUTIONS

*Make your baby sit upright for 20 – 30 minutes after feeding

*Rubbing the back or rocking them after feeding can also help baby
*Never startle or scare baby to combat hiccups.

*Don’t put wet cloth on their forehead

*Holding ones breath can help in hiccupping but this should never be attempted on baby. It can be dangerous, plain and simple.

TREATMENT

Following practices can be adopted to get rid of hiccups

*drinking water quickly

*swallowing dry pieces of bread, crushed ice or normal sugar

*gentling rubbing your eyeballs

*gargling water

*holding your breath

*breathing into a paper bag (do not use plastic bag)

*gagging (sticking a finger down your throat)

*hold your breath and swallow three times

*eat a spoonful of honey or peanut butter

*drink water through a cloth or paper towel