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Suffering From Hiccups. What Is Causing This And Treatment?
Question: hi doctor,
I am facing a quite a peculiar problem from last couple of years. When ever i get a Hiccups , it last for three consecutive days.I hav shown to various doctors but no concrete answer is there they suggest its cause of acidity.
I am facing a quite a peculiar problem from last couple of years. When ever i get a Hiccups , it last for three consecutive days.I hav shown to various doctors but no concrete answer is there they suggest its cause of acidity.
Hello Mr XXXXXXX and thanks for your query.
I shall make an effort to provide you with good professional recommendations specific to your questions.
I gather that your hiccups has been chronic and is making life difficult when it comes. Yes, your doctors are right in one way that gastritis in a way does figure out in the list of many causes leading to this condition.
Theoretically, I have to assume in here since, all I know about you is that your are 32 yr old male - persistent hiccups have a long list of causes. A physician eliminates clinically the most likely and simple ones before going on to the less likely and troublesome ones requiring more specific medications. A detailed history both of your hiccups and every other possible medical history that you have ever recorded, a clinical examination of your chest and abdomen and subsequent tests as necessitated by former may lead to a diagnosis.
Yes, the diagnosis is not as straightforward as you might think - and it is a clinical challenge for any doctor akin to finding a needle in haystack if you need the exact cause.
But, what can be done practically and my suggestions are :
1. Find out what brings on the hiccups - act/time of day/ anything worthy of mention.
2. Stress - an important cause.
3. Medical history - see if you can relate to this. Eg Gastric surgery/tests.
4. Any particular food intake - allergic.
5. Diaphragm / Respiratory history.
6. Approach a General Physician first and get examined. If primary treatment like drugs for gastritis etc do not work, then get referral to a surgical gastroenterologist from him. And get reviewed best during an active episode.
If all of above most common causes are thoroughly looked into - most of patients are treated. Else lesser common ones like diaphragmatic contractions need a more detailed testing and depends on the case. Even then, there are specific anti-spasmodic drugs that help relax the diaphragm (muscle causing the hiccup) when chronically contracting.
Let me know if I have missed out any other concern in your question.
Yet again, I duly appreciate your query to me, I do hope that you have found something useful to help you and I shall be glad to answer any further apprehensions.
Sincerely,
Dr Sujeet N Charugulla,
MBBS, MD.
Consultant Physician.
I shall make an effort to provide you with good professional recommendations specific to your questions.
I gather that your hiccups has been chronic and is making life difficult when it comes. Yes, your doctors are right in one way that gastritis in a way does figure out in the list of many causes leading to this condition.
Theoretically, I have to assume in here since, all I know about you is that your are 32 yr old male - persistent hiccups have a long list of causes. A physician eliminates clinically the most likely and simple ones before going on to the less likely and troublesome ones requiring more specific medications. A detailed history both of your hiccups and every other possible medical history that you have ever recorded, a clinical examination of your chest and abdomen and subsequent tests as necessitated by former may lead to a diagnosis.
Yes, the diagnosis is not as straightforward as you might think - and it is a clinical challenge for any doctor akin to finding a needle in haystack if you need the exact cause.
But, what can be done practically and my suggestions are :
1. Find out what brings on the hiccups - act/time of day/ anything worthy of mention.
2. Stress - an important cause.
3. Medical history - see if you can relate to this. Eg Gastric surgery/tests.
4. Any particular food intake - allergic.
5. Diaphragm / Respiratory history.
6. Approach a General Physician first and get examined. If primary treatment like drugs for gastritis etc do not work, then get referral to a surgical gastroenterologist from him. And get reviewed best during an active episode.
If all of above most common causes are thoroughly looked into - most of patients are treated. Else lesser common ones like diaphragmatic contractions need a more detailed testing and depends on the case. Even then, there are specific anti-spasmodic drugs that help relax the diaphragm (muscle causing the hiccup) when chronically contracting.
Let me know if I have missed out any other concern in your question.
Yet again, I duly appreciate your query to me, I do hope that you have found something useful to help you and I shall be glad to answer any further apprehensions.
Sincerely,
Dr Sujeet N Charugulla,
MBBS, MD.
Consultant Physician.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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