Ask the Doctor

How to stop hiccups

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I often have hiccups. Kindly let me know the best way to stop this. I am a 40-year-old mother of three children.

Betty (by SMS)

 

Hiccups are most likely caused by irritation to the diaphragm, the muscle at the base of the lungs. It is when the muscle goes into spasm or cramp that the vocal cords clamp shut to create that distinctive ‘hic’ sound that mothers so much dread. It is however believed that as long as the ‘Hiccup’ is not caused by any underlying problem such as ‘gastroesophageal reflux’, there is no cause to worry.

A cause of long-term hiccups is damage to, or irritation of, the vagus nerves or phrenic nerves. These nerves supply the diaphragm muscle. Factors that may damage or irritate these nerves may include among other things, hair or something else in your ear touching your eardrum. However, treating chronic or persistent hiccups will usually require more than just drinking a glass of water or any of the well-known home remedies. Since chronic hiccups cause health issues and can also be a sign of a larger health concern, the majority of treatments require the help of a medical professional. \

You usually can’t treat the issue yourself or resolve the problem at home. Treatments depend on the underlying cause and may include: treating the underlying health condition that’s causing the hiccups as well as taking medications prescribed by a doctor.

READ ALSO: How do I stop hiccups?

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