What should I do if I can’t stop hiccups?

Hiccups, commonly known as burps, are a physiological phenomenon caused by stimulation of the phrenic nerve and vagus nerve, which triggers contraction of the diaphragm.

Normal people are prone to hiccups when they are full, cold, or under stress. Generally, hiccups can be relieved on their own. For those who have hiccups for a long time, simple physical methods such as holding your breath and taking a deep breath, bending over quickly, drinking hot water, etc. can also relieve hiccups. In daily life, you only need to avoid eating too fast, too hot, too cold, and overeating to avoid hiccups.

Don't take minor illnesses lightly. However, for some patients, hiccups may last for 1 to 2 hours, 1 to 2 days, or even longer without spontaneous relief. This is called intractable hiccups. For patients with intractable hiccups, a small hiccup can seriously reduce their quality of life and even cause insomnia, so they should be taken seriously.

TCM has a trick to relieve hiccups. In ancient TCM books, hiccups are called "hiccups". The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine records that "hiccups occur when the stomach is affected by qi reversal". TCM believes that improper diet, liver qi stagnation or deficiency of vital energy cause the stomach to lose harmony and descend, stomach qi goes up and moves to the diaphragm, and the qi movement between the diaphragms is unfavorable, resulting in hiccups.

Doctors usually choose prescriptions that soothe the stomach and relieve reflux according to the patient's specific conditions. In addition to taking Chinese medicine under the guidance of professional doctors, you can also choose some commonly used acupoints for massage in your life, such as Neiguan, Tanzhong, Shaoshang, and Zusanli.

In addition, patients can also go to the acupuncture department for treatment. Both acupoint injection therapy and acupuncture treatment have very good effects.

From the perspective of modern medical anatomy, the diaphragm is located in the center of the human body and is used to separate the chest and abdomen. Diaphragm spasm is usually related to increased intra-abdominal pressure, so intractable hiccups may also be caused by certain chest or upper abdominal lesions, such as pneumonia, pleurisy, myocardial infarction, chronic gastritis, pancreatitis, etc. Diaphragm damage caused by some external forces may also cause the continued occurrence of hiccups. In addition, neurological lesions such as brain tumors and cerebral hemorrhage must be ruled out. Only when the cause is clear can the next step of symptomatic treatment be carried out.

In short, hiccups can be serious or minor, and it is important to identify the cause. If hiccups occur for a long time and cannot be relieved on their own, it is recommended to seek medical attention in time to avoid delaying the condition.

Note: Please follow your doctor’s advice on specific treatment and medication!

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This article is transferred from: China Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine Author: Liu Qing

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