Doctor lists diseases that may hide behind frequent hiccups

Hiccups as a possible signal of disease

Hiccups are usually seen as a harmless nuisance after a hasty lunch, but physician and gastroenterologist Dmitry Karpenko, associate professor at the Department of Outpatient Therapy of Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, told Gazeta.Ru, that this reflex may conceal pathologies of internal organs. According to him, the mechanism of hiccups involves the vagus and phrenic nerves and the brainstem: an irritant — overeating, alcohol, hot or cold food — triggers a signal along the nerve pathways, the brain sends a return command, the diaphragm contracts sharply, the epiglottis blocks the airways, and the characteristic sound occurs.

Which pathologies the doctor names

If hiccups occur regularly without apparent cause, Karpenko says, this may indicate systemic diseases: GERD, a hiatal hernia, peptic ulcer disease, pancreatitis, liver pathologies, as well as tumors of the esophagus or stomach. Metabolic disorders can also trigger the reflex — diabetic neuropathy, kidney failure with toxin accumulation, potassium or calcium deficiency. In addition, pneumonia, pleurisy, and inflammations of the ear, throat, and nose that irritate the branches of the vagus nerve are named among the causes.

When to see a doctor

“If hiccups occur frequently or last continuously for more than 48 hours, this is a good reason to see a general practitioner. Attempts to stop prolonged hiccups with folk remedies or uncontrolled medication use are useless and dangerous. Timely treatment of the underlying disease will eliminate the symptom and prevent complications,” Karpenko concluded. The practical meaning of his recommendation is that prolonged hiccups are treated not as a separate problem but as a symptom requiring a search for the underlying disease. The article is based on comments from a single specialist; it also references an earlier doctor’s explanation about why one should not lie down right after eating.