Chronic hiccups

Title

Other Names:

Intractable singultus; Intractable hiccups; Persistent hiccups; Intractable singultus; Intractable hiccups; Persistent hiccups; Hiccups, intractable See More

Categories:

Digestive Diseases; Nervous System Diseases

Summary Summary

Chronic hiccups are repeated, unintentional contractions of the breathing muscles that continue for a long period of time. Regular hiccups often develop after eating a large meal or drinking a carbonated beverage, and they typically go away on their own after a couple minutes. Chronic hiccups last over two days and in rare cases, may continue for over a month. Complications of chronic hiccups can include insomnia, fatigue, weight loss, malnutrition, and depression or anxiety. The exact underlying cause is often unknown; and over 100 different causes of chronic hiccups have been reported. Diagnosis is based on the symptoms and the duration of the hiccups. Treatment of chronic hiccups varies but may include medications, acupuncture, and/or surgery.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Last updated: 11/5/2020

Symptoms Symptoms

The following list includes the most common symptoms and complications in people with chronic hiccups. These features may be different from person to person. Some people may have more symptoms than others and they can range from mild to severe. This list does not include every symptom that has been described in the condition.

Symptoms and complications may include:^[1]^[2]

Hiccups that last at least 2 days
Inability to sleep (insomnia)
Weight loss
Fatigue
Gastrointestinal problems
Psychological distress

Chronic hiccups can occur at any age, but usually begin after age 50. Complications of chronic hiccups can lead to decreased quality of life.^[1]

Last updated: 11/5/2020

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms	Other Names	Learn More: HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Recurrent singultus	Recurrent hiccup	0100247
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abnormal eating behavior		0100738
Abnormality of the diaphragm	Diaphragm issues Diaphragmatic defect [ more ]	0000775
Dehydration		0001944
Depressivity	Depression	0000716
Malnutrition		0004395
Sleep disturbance	Difficulty sleeping Trouble sleeping [ more ]	0002360
Weight loss		0001824

Showing of 8 |

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Last updated: 2/1/2021

Cause Cause

Over 100 different causes of chronic hiccups have been identified. The types of causes can include:^[1]^[2]^[3]

Central nervous system damage
Irritation of the breathing muscles (diaphragm)
Irritation of the nerves involved in breathing
Side effects of certain medications
Metabolic conditions
Stomach, intestine, kidney or liver disorders
Recent surgeries involving the stomach, chest, or central nervous system
Infectious diseases

In some cases, no underlying cause can be found.

Last updated: 11/6/2020

Diagnosis Diagnosis

Chronic hiccups are diagnosed based on the symptoms and how long the hiccups have been occurring. A complete physical exam with various laboratory tests and imaging studies may be performed to determine the underlying cause.^[2]

Last updated: 11/5/2020

Treatment Treatment

Treatment for chronic hiccups is focused on managing the symptoms, and may be based on the underlying cause. Treatment may include medications, such as tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, anti-seizure medications, pain medications, and stimulants. Other treatments include physical maneuvers, acupuncture, and sometimes, surgery.^[1]^[3]^[4]

Specialists involved in the care of someone with chronic hiccups may include:

Gastroenterologist
Neurologist

Last updated: 11/6/2020

Statistics Statistics

The exact number of people with chronic hiccups is unknown. Men over the age of 50 are more likely to develop chronic hiccups than women. Chronic hiccups occur in about 4% of patients with advanced cancer.^[1]^[3]

Last updated: 11/6/2020

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Related Diseases Related Diseases

Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
Hiccups are extremely specific and can rarely be mistaken for another condition. Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

Research Research

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

Orphanet lists European clinical trials, research studies, and patient registries enrolling people with this condition.

Learn More Learn More

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
The Merck Manual provides information on this condition for patients and caregivers.
The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
The Merck Manual for health care professionals provides information on Chronic hiccups.
The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.

Selected Full-Text Journal Articles

Kohse EK, Hollmann MW, Bardenheuer HJ, Kessler, J. Chronic Hiccups: An Underestimated Problem. Anesthesia & Analgesia: 2017 Oct;125(4):1169-1183.

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Rare Disease Day at NIH 2021
March 1, 2021

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References References

Lembo AJ. Hiccups. UpToDate. Updated Oct. 27, 2020; https://www.uptodate.com/contents/hiccups.
Kohse EK, Hollmann MW, Bardenheuer HJ, Kessler J. Chronic Hiccups: An Underestimated Problem. Anesth Analg. Oct 2017; 125(4):1169-1183. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28759492.
Moretto EN, Wee B, Wiffen PJ, Murchison AG. Interventions for treating persistent and intractable hiccups in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Jan 31, 2013; 2013(1):CD008768. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23440833.
Yang H, Zhang R, Zhou J, Cheng Y, Li J, Xiao Q, Yin Z, Xu G, Zhao L, Liang F. Acupuncture therapy for persistent and intractable hiccups: Protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). Nov 2019; 98(44):e17561. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31689761.