Hiccups, or hiccoughs, occur when the diaphragm contracts involuntarily. The diaphragm is the muscle separating your chest cavity from the stomach. The sound of the hiccup is made when the vocal cords close rapidly with the contractions of the diaphragm. Hiccups can last for a few minutes, or persist for years, depending on the causes, says Medline Plus, a website affiliated with the National Institutes of Health. Although usually harmless, prolonged hiccups can be related to certain medical conditions and warrant a physical examination.
Stress
Emotional factors and stress can contribute to the development of hiccups, says the Better Health Channel. Anxiety and stress can causes the release of hormones that irritate the diaphragm, triggering spasms in the diaphragm, which you experience as hiccups.
Overeating
A common cause of hiccups is excess consumption of food. When your stomach becomes too full, it impinges on your diaphragm, causing contractions and subsequent hiccups, states medical professionals at Better Health Channel, a medical website established by the Government of Australia.
Pregnancy
When you are pregnant, your growing fetus can exert pressure on your diaphragm and cause nerve irritation. Because this is a common phenomenon, pregnant women are at risk for experiencing hiccups throughout their pregnancies.
Medical Conditions
Prolonged hiccups, those lasting more than 2 days, can be caused by medical conditions involving the diaphragmatic nerves. These nerves, called the phrenic nerve and the vagus nerve, can become irritated by certain conditions and cause extended episodes of hiccups, explains MayoClinic.com. In addition, medical conditions such as meningitis, multiple sclerosis and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, can contribute to hiccups. Some conditions that affect your brain, such as traumatic brain injury and stroke, can damage your brain's "hiccup center," resulting in hiccups, says Medline Plus.
Laughing
Laughing hard or for prolonged periods of time is a common cause of hiccups. When a sudden gush of air is inhaled, as is common with laughing, the air rushes very rapidly into the epiglottis, stimulating the diaphragmatic nerves and producing hiccups, explains Whatcauseshiccups.org.
