Long-term hiccups. What to do with episodic and persistent hiccups

Hiccups are an unpleasant phenomenon. Appearing suddenly, it can ruin your mood for the whole day. Each person has several effective methods that help get rid of the problem. But how to stop hiccups in adults if “grandmother’s” methods have been tried, but there is no result? Other, more productive ways will come to the rescue.

Types of hiccups

Experts distinguish three types of hiccups:

Benin hiccups are the most common type, affecting the majority of the population. Lasts, as a rule, from several seconds to several minutes. May occur several times a day.
Persistent hiccups last 48 hours, sometimes more, and are recurring.
Prolonged hiccups - can last for several months, and sometimes for several years.

Causes of hiccups

Hiccups are involuntary rhythmic contractions of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. Muscle spasms are accompanied by the closing of the gap between vocal cords- that’s why it works characteristic sound.

Many people are concerned about the question: what are the root causes of hiccups? Let's look at the most common of them.

Overeating is recognized as one of the most popular causes of hiccups. An overly full and greatly distended stomach leads to the appearance of muscle contractions.
Another reason is irritation of the so-called “vagus” nerve. Prolonged hiccups without visible reasons appears due to the fact that the phrenic nerve, for no apparent reason, begins to send excitation to the muscles. This reason has not been well studied.
The occurrence of hiccups may be associated with fright, when the phrenic nerve is pinched as a result of a sharp inhalation.
You can encounter an unpleasant illness by staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time, when the torso is squeezed and constricted.
To more rare, but still acceptable reasons the appearance of hiccups include: hypothermia, alcohol intoxication, hasty swallowing of poorly chewed food, hacking cough or loud laughter.
The reasons for a problem of this nature may be related to internal pathologies or damage. The most common are diseases of the nervous or digestive system, metabolic processes.

Having an idea of the source of the problem can make the task of getting rid of it much easier. There are situations in which simply taking precautions can even prevent hiccups from starting. There are no exceptions when it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention to solve the problem.

Express methods for getting rid of episodic hiccups in adults

If the causes of hiccups do not pose any danger to human health, you can try to solve the problem on your own in home environment. The fastest and most accessible methods include the following:

Drink water. This method is based on irritation of the diaphragm. Just drink chilled water, in small sips and slowly. Swallowing movements combined with temperature changes work perfectly.
Holding your breath. You can try to influence contractions of the diaphragm with specially provoked pressure. Typing full breasts air, you need to hold your breath as long as possible. It is better to inhale not through the chest, but through the stomach, as is typical for yogis.
Breathe into the bag. This method involves breathing into a bag, but not into a plastic bag, but into a paper one. To begin with, the bag is inflated like an air bubble. After this, the air from the bag is drawn into itself.
Butter or sugar. A teaspoon of sugar should be placed under the tongue and slowly dissolved. Such an action provokes profuse salivation, which affects the functioning of the esophagus, sensitivity of the diaphragm and swallowing. For those who do not eat sweets, you can replace sugar with a piece of natural butter.
A person who hiccups can be scared. A simple fright can help a person get rid of hiccups. By means of a sharp pop or sudden sound, you can provoke a reflex opposite to the one that caused the problem. As a result of a sharp contraction of the diaphragm, there is a chance of getting rid of hiccups.
Knees to chest. Simply pressing your knees to your chest can solve the problem. In this case, you need to bend over, thereby squeezing the diaphragm.

Short hiccups, lasting no more than 10 minutes, do not pose any danger to human health. To prevent its occurrence, you need to eat a balanced diet and not overeat, stick to healthy image life, protect the nervous system.

Often help get rid of hiccups special exercises for the laryngeal muscles.

It is necessary to open your mouth wide and slightly lift the tongue of the larynx with the back end of a teaspoon or using a special stick. As a result similar procedure It is possible that a gag reflex may appear, but this will only help stop the hiccups. As a result of such actions, it is stimulated nerve endings and prevents contraction of the diaphragm muscles.
Easy charging, which involves muscular system press and diaphragm can also lead to a positive result.
Can help get rid of hiccups breathing exercises or performing yoga asanas. If neither the first nor the second are familiar to you, then you can simply stretch upward, standing on your toes, make slow bends, not forgetting about uniform and deep breathing through the nose.
Stopping the spasm in respiratory organs contribute the following actions. Taking a deep breath, you should simultaneously close your ears and nose with your fingers. It is recommended to hold in this state for 5 to 10 seconds.
Speakers and professional singers have a method of getting rid of hiccups through regular gargling. A small amount of liquid is drawn into the mouth, the head is thrown back and the air is exhaled through the throat. There is no need to swallow the liquid.
“Empty swallows” help many people. This is true for attacks of hiccups caused by laryngeal spasms. A small portion of saliva is swallowed; with each swallow, breathing should be held for a short time. This method can be used to combat both short-term hiccups, and with long-term.
For mild hiccups, light pressure on the indentation located at the bottom of the neck can help.
With help light massage the chest can also cope with an unpleasant problem.

Important! All the described methods apply to short-term hiccups. If it occurs for a long time, it is recommended to seek advice from a specialist who will advise a way to get rid of the attack.

Prolonged hiccups. How to stop?

Usually, hiccups do not last long and stop after a few minutes. But there are situations when, over time, hiccups do not go away and simply exhaust a person. Such cases require more thoughtful and decisive action.

You should consult a doctor who will prescribe medications to help get rid of unpleasant problem. In some cases, these are muscle relaxants (muscle relaxants), drugs that regulate digestion, carminatives or antacids.

Saturating the blood with carbon dioxide can help get rid of persistent hiccups. You can do this simply by breathing open mouth in a paper bag.

Hiccups that appear due to stress require a number of tips to be followed.

IN stressful situations you should pay attention to the peculiarities of your breathing - it should be calm and even, there is no need to hold it.
Before an exciting event, it is better to take sedatives and try to divert attention to some other issues.
You can wear an elastic band or bracelet on your wrist. When you feel that an attack is about to begin, the rubber band should be pulled back and abruptly released. This technique helps to switch attention and get rid of the problem.

Important! Remember, hiccups lasting more than 60 minutes and accompanied by alarming symptoms, such as shortness of breath, dizziness, breathing problems, is a reason to consult a doctor.

Hiccups are not a symptom on which serious conclusions can be drawn about the state of health. In any case, if similar problem, you should try first in simple ways get rid of her. In case of failure, do not hesitate to contact a specialist.

Video: how to quickly get rid of hiccups

Those who are bothered by the problem of hiccups would like to know how to stop hiccups in adults. Why does an adult hiccup? It is believed that hiccups are not a serious problem and there is nothing to talk about it.

How to stop hiccups in adults, what are hiccups:

Hiccups are a sharp spasm of the diaphragm (not a voluntary contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm), the culprit of this is a sharp inhalation, leading to a decrease in the glottis.

The diaphragm itself is dome-shaped; it separates the chest cavity and the abdominal cavity. When tension is applied, the dome goes down. With a smooth entry everything is fine. Hiccups can range from 4 to 60 times per minute.

The condition of the diaphragm is affected by:

The liver lies nearby.
Stomach.

Hypothermia: (the body strives to activate all muscles with the help of heat, and therefore the diaphragm). The reason is considered very harmless.

Binge eating: V in good condition our stomach occupies a volume no larger than a fist. When it is able to stretch up to 2 - 2.5 liters in volume. The stomach touches the phrenic nerve, causing hiccups.

Liver dysfunction: when it increases, compression of the phrenic nerve occurs. The result is hiccups.

Chronic hiccups: occurs in patients with lesions spinal nerves. At the level of 4-5 cervical vertebrae, compression of two nerve roots occurs. These lead to hiccups in turn.

Intracranial pressure in humans: This common reason hiccups, especially in children.

Now I will give many reasons why hiccups are a serious symptom:

Persistent hiccups may indicate pneumonia. In this case, the infection irritates the nerves of the chest or even the diaphragm itself.
Sometimes it is observed with a hernia in the stomach of the food opening, namely the diaphragm (H. Bergmann syndrome).
Severe alcohol poisoning triggers the mechanism of toxic hiccups.
An enlarged liver due to alcohol intake can curl onto the diaphragm and cause hiccups.
Even with cancerous tumor hiccups that may grow in the chest may appear.
Brain tumors (neurogenic hiccups).
Mental causes of hiccups also cannot be ignored.

There are many reasons for hiccups, but how do you know when to seek medical help?

How to stop hiccups in adults when you need help:

We list all cases:

Doctor's help is necessary if you hiccup for more than an hour.
Hiccups occur many times a day.
In addition to hiccups, you are tormented by swallowing problems and chest pain.
Need to undergo examination abdominal cavity to rule out liver disease.
Check status cervical region spine.
Have a neurologist check your intracranial pressure.
Brain tomography is required.

How to stop adult hiccups quickly:

If the hiccups do not stop for a long time and are accompanied by more than 10 minutes, antipsychotic drugs (chlorpromaziv) are prescribed.

Mandatory treatment of the underlying disease - the provocateur of hiccups in adults.

Sugar:

Eat one teaspoon of sugar. There is no need to drink water. It is very rare that you have to take the sugar again after two minutes. The hiccups go away. Instead of sugar, you can swallow a piece of dry bread or eat a little peanut butter.

Oregano oil:

Lubricate the throat ready pharmaceutical oil or just inhale its aroma. Good for hiccups due to hypothermia.

Unusual way:

During hiccups, press your finger in your mouth on the root of your tongue. This is how they induce vomiting. The spasm of the esophagus, which follows, eliminates the spasms of the diaphragm.

Breath holding:

During hiccups deep breath and holding your breath. To ease the delay, you need to pinch your nose with two fingers. Exhale sharply.

Another method of holding your breath: inhale and, while holding your breath, strongly strain your diaphragm (push).

Simple hiccup:

Drink a glass of water.

Breathe into the bag:

Take the bag and breathe into it during hiccups. The hiccups stop. At the same time, the level increases carbon dioxide blood.

Exercise:

Sit on the floor, press your knees tightly to your stomach, inhale and hold your breath.

With all the methods described above, work is stimulated vagus nerve.

How to stop adult hiccups quickly, recipes:

Lemon:

Eat something bitter or sour. Lemon will help a lot.

Massage:

Grasp the tongue with your fingers, then gently pull the tongue downward and outward.

Hands in the castle:

Place a glass of water on the edge of the table. Place your hands behind your back, then clasp them. Try to straighten your arms while drinking water, holding it with your teeth.

When you straighten your arms, the diaphragm relaxes, and when you drink water, it contracts. This is the mechanism of hiccups in patients.

Today we learned how to stop hiccups in adults, God grant that you don’t need anything in your life. Health and longevity to everyone.

I always look forward to visiting the site.

Watch the video why people hiccup:

Let's see what are the causes of hiccups, what remedies can help solve this problem and what treatments should be used for chronic hiccups.

We will find out how many types of hiccups exist, and what physiological mechanisms lie at the root of this bothersome disorder.

When does hiccups occur - physiological mechanism

Everyone has had to deal with hiccups in life, but only a few know the reasons for this phenomenon? This problem can affect anyone: a newborn, a child, an adult and an elderly person, and it is associated with involuntary contraction of the diaphragm muscles, which determines the closure of the valve in the larynx area. Usually the disorder does not last long, with a variable number of hiccups per minute - from a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 60.

As previously mentioned, hiccups are caused by muscle contractions. WITH medical point From a perspective, we can distinguish two different components that cause hiccups:

Muscular component: From this point of view, hiccups are an involuntary contraction diaphragm muscles, separating the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity, and intercostal muscles. The typical sound of hiccups is caused by an interruption in the flow of air in the lungs.
Neurological component: Associated with activation of the vagus nerve and the phrenic nerve (the nerve that innervates the diaphragm), and the hiccup center, which is located in the cervical spine and receives commands from the hypothalamus and other areas of the brain.

Hiccups are not always the same: different types

Although hiccups are very common and common enough that they are not a cause for concern, there are several types of hiccups, some of which require medical intervention.

We can highlight three types of hiccups:

Isolated: this is the most general type hiccups that everyone experiences at least once during own life. It appears suddenly and lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. Tends to heal spontaneously.
Acute: A type of hiccup that can last up to 48 hours and is characterized by rapid and repeated contractions. Does not require medical treatment, disappear spontaneously, but should always be kept under control, as after 48 hours a doctor’s help may be required.
Chronic: These are hiccups that last for more than 48 hours and are characterized by frequent and rapid spasms. This type of hiccups can persist for several days or even several weeks, alternating with periods without hiccups. Of course it's very a rare event: Occurs in one in 100,000 people.

The latter type requires the intervention of a doctor, since among the consequences can be sleep disturbances, as it occurs even at night and makes eating and talking difficult.

Causes of hiccups

The causes of this disease are still largely unknown. However, it can be assumed that certain situations determine the occurrence of isolated or acute hiccups. Chronic hiccups may be caused by a neurological or similar condition.

We have previously described isolated and acute hiccups as a transient process. Often the reasons that give rise to this phenomenon are unknown, but, nevertheless, some common reasons can be identified:

Eating errors: When you eat quickly or eat too much, it causes the stomach to stretch due to swallowing air and this can lead to stimulation of the phrenic nerve and rapid cuts diaphragm.
Anxiety and stress: Hiccups can be psychosomatic, that is, caused by anxiety or prolonged stress. When you're nervous, you tend to swallow a large number of air, thus stretching the stomach and stimulating the phrenic nerve.
Smoking and alcohol: can lead to hiccups because they have a general irritant effect, including the diaphragm and phrenic nerve. In addition, alcohol causes dilation of the stomach.
Temperature changes: sharp jumps temperature or swallowing food that is too hot or too cold can trigger hiccups.
Medications: In some patients, such as older adults, who take large amounts of medications to keep age-related conditions under control, the medications may cause hiccups. Major culprits include benzodiazepines, used to treat anxiety, corticosteroids, such as cortisone, used to treat various diseases inflammatory process, antibiotics and drugs used for chemotherapy.
Surgical interventions : hiccups often appear after surgery, which is determined by several factors, such as manipulation internal organs, accidental stimulation of the phrenic nerve or diaphragm, medications used to general anesthesia, distension of the neck during intubation and distension of the abdomen during endoscopy.

All of the above reasons cause involuntary contraction of the diaphragm through stimulation of the phrenic nerve, but the mechanisms by which this occurs remain unknown.

Other common causes of hiccups may be related to a specific condition the person is in, such as pregnancy, or due to age, such as hiccups in children.

Children and newborns: In children and newborns, the most common cause of hiccups is the speed of eating. For example, a newborn may swallow too quickly during breastfeeding, swallowing air; it is not uncommon for hiccups to appear after feeding. Children and babies, like adults, can also have hiccups due to changes in temperature or eating food that is too hot or too cold.
Women during pregnancy: during pregnancy, in addition to the well-known “fetal hiccups”, which are the cause of joy and suffering for women, future mom may also have hiccups, probably caused by an increase in the volume of the uterus, which stimulates the phrenic nerve.

Causes of chronic hiccups

As for chronic hiccups, then main reason are disorders nervous system, that is, irritation of certain nerves.

This may include:

Peripheral nerve pathways : innervating the diaphragm, in particular the vagus and phrenic nerves. Damage or irritation from these pathways can lead to chronic hiccups. Such irritation or damage may be the result of certain diseases localized at the level of the larynx, such as acute laryngitis, pharyngitis (general sore throat), presence foreign objects at the level inner ear, as well as inflammation and infections localized in the lungs and pleural cavity.
Central nerve pathways: that is, nerves localized at the level of the cervical spine spinal cord. Irritation or injury in these centers can cause chronic hiccups. Injury to these centers is often observed in such neurological disorders, How multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, inflammation meninges in the head and bone marrow, tumors at the level of the brain, traumatic brain injury.

Secondary causes of chronic hiccups relate to diseases that determine the appearance of this symptom. Some diseases have hiccups as a side effect of stimulation of peripheral and central nerves, the mechanisms of connection of other diseases with hiccups are not entirely clear.

Among pathological diseases that can identify hiccups, we have:

Inflammation: in the mediastinum, for example at the level of the pericardium, pleura or lungs, the phrenic nerve can be stimulated.
Reflux: Gastroesophageal reflux is one of the most common causes of hiccups. In this case, hiccups often occur if you lie down (sleep) immediately after eating.
Ulcer and gastritis: gastric ulcer very often develops in the presence of the Helicobacter bacteria pylori): symptoms and treatment of bacterial stomach infection "> Helicobacter pylori, this is accompanied by characteristic symptoms: burning in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting, as well as prolonged hiccups.

Other disorders that may present with hiccups include metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus. electrolyte imbalance, hypocalcemia and hyponatremia, renal failure and Addison's disease.

“Seven sips of water” and other remedies for hiccups

Let us now move on to a description of some remedies for hiccups. When transient processes In addition to changing your lifestyle through eating more slowly and less heavily, you can resort to “grandmother’s” remedies.

From natural remedies The most commonly used treatments for hiccups are:

Lemon juice: due to the fact that it is very sour, due to the presence citric acid, lemon juice, when ingested (pure and undiluted), causes an immediate cessation of breathing, which can stop the involuntary contraction of the diaphragm. A couple of teaspoons of lemon juice can instantly get rid of hiccups.

Vinegar: also contains an acidic component – acetic acid. Taking a teaspoon of diluted vinegar may be helpful because the reflex narrowing of the esophagus blocks the involuntary contraction of the diaphragm. However, be careful, acidity, which works well against acid, can cause ulceration of the stomach lining.

Water: one of popular means against hiccups - drink water in small sips. Some people claim that you should drink 7 sips of water with your nose pinched. Drinking water activates certain centers in the brain that can block hiccups.

Sugar: One teaspoon of sugar can stop hiccups due to its structure. Sugar granules, acting on the walls of the esophagus, stimulate the diaphragm and stop involuntary contractions.

Fright: with a sudden fright, a sudden contraction of the diaphragm is observed, this can “knock down” the hiccups.

Sneezing: When sneezing, the intercostal muscles and diaphragm are activated. Accordingly, if you induce sneezing during hiccups, you can stop the hiccups.

Holding your breath: Stopping breathing for more than ten seconds helps get rid of hiccups because it blocks the movement of the diaphragm.

Medical therapy for hiccups

When the hiccups become chronic disease Your doctor may prescribe medication to try to soothe the irritation. Antidopaminergic agents, calcium agonists, GABA and others are used in the treatment of chronic hiccups.

Of the antidopaminergic drugs acting at the level of dopamine receptors, the most used are:

Metoclopramide, which is an antiemetic, but which finds use in the treatment of chronic hiccups. Can be used during pregnancy.
Aminazine: belongs to antipsychotics, but is very effective in treating hiccups (about 80%). It is not recommended to take this drug for long period time, as this may lead to involuntary movements. Should not be used during pregnancy due to potential teratogenic effect.

The most commonly used calcium agonists are:

Nifedipine: therapeutic effectiveness is variable and closely related to the patient's condition. This drug should not be administered during pregnancy because it is not considered safe. The most common side effects are weakness, constipation and rapid heartbeat.
Nimodipine: Can be taken either intravenously or orally. Although this drug has been little studied, it shows good efficiency in the treatment of chronic hiccups.

GABA agonists are used:

Valproic acid: has good efficiency. Should not be used during pregnancy, as it has a teratogenic effect, and among side effects has thrombocytopenia and leukopenia.
Baclofen: relaxes muscles. On this moment the drug is considered the most effective for the treatment of chronic hiccups. Among the side effects we may have hypotension and a feeling of drowsiness. Should not be used during pregnancy as it can cross the placenta but the effect on the fetus is unknown.
Gabapentin: Has good effectiveness in treating hiccups. The drug should not be administered during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

If drug therapy not enough to alleviate hiccups, you can use some invasive methods treatment, such as:

Probing the stomach through the nose: A tube is inserted through the nasal cavity and goes directly into the stomach. This therapy is useful in cases of chronic hiccups that occur due to the reflux of gastric juice into the esophagus.
Anesthesia of the phrenic nerve: A very invasive therapy, it is carried out by injecting an anesthetic at the level of the phrenic nerve, which then loses the ability to transmit nerve impulses.
Vagus nerve stimulation: chest a device is implanted that acts on the vagus nerve and stops hiccups.

Hiccups occur suddenly and cause some discomfort in daily life. Most often it is short-lived and disappears spontaneously. In some cases, the attack drags on for many hours and days, which forces a person to be wary of the state of his body and consult a doctor. This may be the only manifestation serious illnesses, requiring urgent medical intervention. Such cases are quite rare, but possible.

Mechanism of occurrence

Hiccups in adults are a condition that occurs due to contraction of the diaphragm, which separates the abdominal and chest cavity, characterized by the occurrence of an extraordinary inhalation, interrupted by the lowering of the epiglottis. Accompanied by a specific, abrupt sound that occurs due to blockage of the glottis. This process is absolutely physiological and occurs in completely healthy people, no harm. The vagus nerve passes through the diaphragm, starting in the brain and responsible for regulating a number of important functions body. Often, hiccups can be caused by a disorder of the nervous system.

Why does a person hiccup?

Usually, hiccups appear suddenly and are provoked by various factors:

U individuals stress causes excitation and sharp contraction of the diaphragmatic muscles.
Alcohol intake disrupts neuromuscular conduction.
After eating, especially overeating, a person's stomach stretches and puts pressure on the diaphragm, stimulating the vagus nerve. The provoking factor may be cold or hot food, carbonated drinks.
Hypothermia causes reflex muscle contractions, including the diaphragm.
Taking certain medications.
Swallowing air during laughter, loud screaming, lively conversation, smoking.
Pregnancy.

The listed factors irritate the branches of the vagus nerve and cause hiccups. After the stimulation stops, the attack goes away. This reaction is not pathological and occurs in any adult or child.

Possible causes of prolonged hiccups

Constant hiccups worsen a person’s quality of life and require treatment and elimination of the cause that caused it. A prolonged bout of hiccups may indicate health problems such as:

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels: ischemic disease heart (heart attack, angina), aneurysm of one of the aortic sections.
Pathologies of the nervous system: stroke, herniated discs, tumors of the spinal cord and brain, meningoencephalitis, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis.
Digestive system diseases: gastritis, peptic ulcer stomach, reflux esophagitis, hiatal hernia, stomach tumor.
Diseases respiratory system: pneumonia, bronchitis, neoplasms lung tissue and bronchi, pleurisy.

Frequent or prolonged, persistent hiccups require comprehensive examination and identifying the cause of the occurrence, since there is a risk of a serious disease.

Effective termination methods

According to the mechanism of action, there are several groups against hiccups:

Interrupting vagus nerve stimulation.
Distractive activities that calm the nervous system.
Taking medications.
Relaxation respiratory muscle- diaphragm.

Simple methods that can quickly stop hiccups:

Drink cool water poured into a glass, holding your breath first. Swallows are jerky, fast or large, with pauses. This allows you to calm the endings of the vagus nerve located in the oropharynx.
Put it in your mouth sweet candy or a spoonful of honey, jam, or other product containing sugar. Similar method affects taste receptors and is a distraction for the nervous system, so sour or salty foods are also suitable.
An effective option is to take a deep breath, then hold your breath and strongly strain your stomach. Subsequently, a smooth and calm exhalation is made. Due to the accumulation of carbon dioxide, stimulation occurs respiratory center, which controls the diaphragm, which eliminates hiccups. Simply stopping breathing for a short time works in a similar way.
Sports activities, physical exercise They allow you to quickly stop an attack by tensing the abdominal muscles and make the nervous system more resistant to various stress loads.
TO medicines include Metoclopromide or Motilium, various antipsychotics, protozoa sedatives, such as Corvalol or Valocordin, muscle relaxants. Drug treatment required to combat prolonged hiccups, carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

“Hiccup, hiccup, go to Fedot!” the children say, and it helps! But in adults, stopping hiccups is not so easy. The vast majority of people wait until the hiccups go away on their own and/or take ineffective ways to get rid of hiccups (drink water, bend over, jump on the spot, etc.). Typically, none of these popular tricks stop hiccups, but rather help pass the time. Although you can stop hiccups if you know what causes hiccups in a particular case. Knowing the causes of hiccups will help you find suitable way to quickly stop hiccups in an adult and/or a child.

The mistake of many is that they try to treat hiccups, when they need to look for and eliminate the cause of hiccups, which is just a symptom of some disorder in the body. Most often this violation is not serious, but there are also dangerous pathologies, manifested by hiccups. To make a diagnosis, you need to pay attention to: in what circumstances and why hiccups begin, how often a person hiccups and how long this condition lasts. Only careful observation and adequate measures and not just stop the hiccups, but avoid its recurrence, especially when it is completely inappropriate.

What is hiccups? Why do hiccups start?
Purely physiologically, hiccups are involuntary rhythmic contractions of the intercostal muscles and diaphragm. At the same time with muscle spasms The gap between the vocal cords closes - hence the characteristic hiccup sound. Essentially, hiccups go like this: smooth muscle sharply contracts, provoking a convulsive breath, but at the same time the larynx blocks the flow of air and artificial suffocation occurs for a moment. From here discomfort and even the pain of severe hiccups is understandable. I would also like to understand why these muscle contractions occur. And here it’s more difficult to explain hiccups - you’ll have to go deeper into possible reasons hiccups, among which are: different circumstances like cold, overeating, illness and even fear:

Overeating is one of the most common causes of hiccups. Muscle contractions in abdominal area occur when the stomach is overfilled and overstretched.
Irritation of the “vagus” nerve is a peculiarly formulated, but also very common cause of hiccups. The reasons why the phrenic nerve suddenly begins to transmit excitation to the muscles are not yet fully understood, but it is known that prolonged hiccups“for no reason” arises precisely in this case.
Fright, accompanied by a sharp breath, also pinches the phrenic nerve and provokes hiccups. Similar condition may occur from staying in uncomfortable position when the torso is compressed and/or crushed.
Alcohol intoxication, hypothermia, rapid swallowing of unchewed food, hysterical laughter or coughing– more rare, but probable reasons hiccups that arise situationally.
Internal pathologies and damage can manifest as hiccups, especially diseases of the nervous system, metabolism, and digestive tract.

Knowing the source of the problem, the first thing to do to stop hiccups is to eliminate the cause. In some cases, precautions are enough to prevent the onset of hiccups; in others, medical intervention may be necessary.

How to quickly stop hiccups in an adult?
If the cause of hiccups is not dangerous to health, you can do it on your own and stop the hiccups on your own or with the assistance of household members. Here are the simplest and available methods stopping hiccups:

Drink some water. The essence of the method is to irritate the diaphragm, so you need to drink cold water in small sips. Temperature changes and swallowing movements are triggered. You just need to drink slowly, at least 15-20 seconds.
Hold your breath. A wedge is knocked out with a wedge, and contractions of the diaphragm are done by deliberate pressure on it. Therefore, take a deep breath and do not exhale for as long as you can. It is advisable to inhale not through the chest, but through the stomach - as yogis do.
Breathe into the bag. Just not in a plastic “T-shirt” bag, but in a paper bag, like those given out on airplanes and/or bakeries. Try to first inflate the bag like an air bubble, and then draw in all the air from it.
Sugar or butter. teaspoon granulated sugar Place under your tongue and suck slowly until completely dissolved. During this process, strong salivation will begin, affecting the functioning of the esophagus, the sensitivity of the diaphragm and swallowing. If you don't eat sweets, use natural butter– the effect will be similar.
Gargle with plain water or herbal decoction – the main thing is that during rinsing the convulsive breaths stop and breathing returns to normal. At the same time, the lungs will be filled with air, and the blood with oxygen, which also helps to restore balance.

It has been observed that sneezing and/or coughing stops hiccups. But you won’t wait until you accidentally sneeze. Breathing dust or tickling your nose to stop hiccups is also not an option. But if a coincidence occurs, the diaphragm will contract and you will stop hiccupping.

Effective methods stopping hiccups in adults
Prolonged hiccups (for several hours or more) are a reason to consult a doctor and undergo an examination, because it may indicate the development of a tumor or pinched spine. You need to understand this and not ignore lingering hiccups either in yourself, or especially in those close to you. How else can an adult stop hiccups at home? Perform these techniques before the doctor arrives or while waiting for an appointment:
If possible, offer the person who hiccups a seat horizontal position so that the diaphragm is higher than the larynx. This can be achieved by lying on your back with your head hanging over the edge of the bed. You cannot remain in this position for long to avoid a rush of blood to the head.

Alternative ways to get rid of hiccups
Traditional medicine could not stay away from such an expressive phenomenon as hiccups. Therefore there are a large number household recipes to stop hiccups, which are recommended to be followed only with great caution. These methods are only suitable for adults:

Stick your tongue out as far as possible and grab it with your fingers. Hold yourself (or the other person's) tongue as much as possible. According to legend, this is how hiccups were treated ex-president USA John Kennedy.
Press on eyeballs fingertips. Before doing this, you need to close your eyes and try not to damage the sensitive organs of vision.
Bet money with a person who hiccups that he won't hiccup properly in the next minute. To be convincing, place the deposit amount in front of him. In 99% of cases, the victim of hiccups stops hiccups in amazement.
Ignore the hiccups. One of two things: either the hiccups will “get offended” and stop, or you will continue to hiccup, but don’t bother about it. This is exactly what a man did, who hiccupped for 68 years in a row, during which time he led a full life.

In the end, you can simply rejoice in the fact that someone remembers and thinks about you - this is how beliefs in Slavic countries explain hiccups. But seriously, hiccups are too vague a symptom to be used to draw serious conclusions about your health. Therefore, listen to your body, try to stop hiccups in simple ways, and if unsuccessful, do not hesitate to consult a doctor. Be healthy and don't get hiccups!