Hiccups are episodes of involuntary diaphragm muscle contractions. The "hiccup" sound occurs when the vocal cords rapidly close with the contractions. Typically, hiccup episodes only last for a few minutes. Sometimes, they can persist for months or years depending upon the cause, reports Medline Plus, a medical website established by the National Institutes of Health.
Excess Food Consumption
One of the most common causes of hiccups is excess food consumption. Your diaphragm is a wide, thin muscle that separates your chest cavity from your stomach and abdominal region. A full, bloated stomach can irritate the sensitive nerve that controls the contraction of your diaphragm, which can result in hiccups. Consuming certain types of food, such as hot or spicy meals or carbonated or alcoholic beverages can also irritate this nerve and can cause hiccups in some people, explain health professionals at the Better Health Channel, a health information website of the Australian government.
Sudden Changes in Temperature
Stepping out into the cold after spending time by a warm fire may cause hiccup symptoms in certain people, according to the Mayo Clinic. Such sudden changes in temperature can put stress on your diaphragm that irritates the nerves within this muscle.
Emotional Factors
Emotional factors can play a role in the development of hiccups, explains the Better Health Channel. Stress or excitement can cause your body to release certain types of hormones, which can irritate your diaphragm. When this occurs, you may experience hiccups.
Pregnancy
When you are pregnant, the fetus can press into your diaphragm muscle and cause irritation. As a result, pregnant women can experience frequent episodes of hiccups throughout pregnancy.
Medical Issues
Long-term hiccups--hiccups that last for more than 48 hours--are typically caused by medical issues associated with the nerves that run along the diaphragm. If these nerves, called the vagus and phrenic nerves, become damaged or inflamed, you can experience hiccups for a prolonged period of time, warns the Mayo Clinic. Medical issues such as tumor growth, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), multiple sclerosis, meningitis or kidney failure can all cause damage to the nerves in your body, which can lead to the emergence of hiccups. Medical issues that effect the brain, such as a stroke or traumatic brain injury, may damage the "hiccup center" within your brain, causing hiccup symptoms to arise, explains Medline Plus. Seek additional care from your doctor if your hiccups last for more than a couple of days.
