How to Treat Persistent Hiccups
Hiccups are caused by a spasm of the diaphragm in your torso at the base of your lungs. When this spasm occurs, the vocal cords also spasm and make a funny hiccoughing sound. Hiccups are common and usually last only a few minutes; however, they can last as long as hours, days, months and even years. Though not life threatening, persistent hiccups become very uncomfortable for the person experiencing them, not to mention interfering with eating, sleeping, talking and working. Persistent hiccups sometimes result from damage to the vagus nerve that controls the diaphragm muscle. Other causes are stroke, tumors, anesthesia, drug abuse and steroids.
Things You'll Need
- Glass of cold water
- Carbonated beverage
- 1 tsp. sugar
- Lemon
- Paper bag
- Medication from doctor
- Surgical procedures
- Alternative treatments
Instructions
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Treatment
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None of the self-care suggestions listed below have been scientifically proven to be effective, but they may be worth trying:
Drink a glass of cold water quickly. The rapid swallowing may shock the diaphragm and stop the spasms. Hold your breath by plugging your nose while you are drinking the water.
Drink a carbonated beverage and burp afterward.
Let 1 tsp. of sugar dissolve on your tongue.
Chew on a lemon.
Breathe rapidly in a paper bag for 10 to 20 breaths.
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2
Discontinue, if you are able, the use of drugs that cause hiccups. Medications that may cause hiccups are midazolam (a type of Valium), tranquilizers, steroids, barbiturates, chemotherapy and digoxin (a heart medication). If you are not able to discontinue their use, ask your doctor if there is a substitute medication you can take.
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Ask your doctor for one of the following medications to stop persistent hiccups. The drugs most commonly used for this purpose are muscle relaxants, anti-nausea drugs and certain anti-psychotic drugs.
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4
Have a nasogastric tube put in through your nose to your stomach. This thin tube may stop hiccups in some circumstances, because it might interrupt the spasm in the vocal cord.
Have an injection of an anesthetic that will block the nerve causing the hiccups. This is called a nerve block; it blocks the nerve from sending the spasm signal to the diaphragm.
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Have a battery-operated device implanted into your chest that will stimulate or give a mild electrical shock to your vagus nerve. This type of nerve stimulator is also used to treat epilepsy, but it has treated persistent hiccups as well.
Undergo alternative treatments, such as hypnosis and acupuncture, to treat the persistent hiccups.
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