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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffThe most common triggers for short-term hiccups include:
- Eating too much
- Drinking carbonated beverages
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Sudden temperature changes
- Excitement or emotional stress
Hiccups that last more than 48 hours may be caused by a variety of factors, which are generally grouped into the following categories:
Nerve damage or irritation
The most common cause of long-term hiccups is damage or irritation of the vagus nerves or phrenic nerves, which serve the diaphragm muscle. Factors that may cause damage or irritation to these nerves include:
- A hair or something else in your ear touching your eardrum
- Sore throat or laryngitis
- A tumor, cyst or goiter in your neck
- Gastroesophageal reflux
Central nervous system disorders
A tumor or infection in your central nervous system or damage to your central nervous system as a result of trauma can disrupt your body's normal control of the hiccup reflex. Examples include:
- Stroke
- Multiple sclerosis
- Tumors
- Meningitis
- Encephalitis
- Traumatic brain injury
Metabolic disorders and drugs
Long-term hiccups can be triggered by:
- Alcoholism
- Anesthesia
- Barbiturates
- Diabetes
- Electrolyte imbalance
- Kidney failure
- Steroids
- Tranquilizers
- Bilotta F, et al. Hiccups. In: Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0986-5..C2009-0-38984-9--TOP&isbn=978-1-4377-0986-5&about=true&uniqId=236797353-5. Accessed April 13, 2011.
- Smith HS. Hiccups. In: Walsh D. Palliative Medicine. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05674-8..50167-5&isbn=978-0-323-05674-8&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05674-8..50167-5&uniqId=239212396-6. Accessed April 13, 2011.
- Lembo AJ. Overview of hiccups. http://uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 13, 2011.
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