Hiccups are part of our daily lives, but they can also be a real symptom. This phenomenon is due to sudden inspiration associated with the closure of the glottis, which slows down the inflow of air. The frequency of hiccups varies from 10 to 60 per minute, but the most important thing in judging the severity of this rather banal symptom is the duration of the attack.
There are three types of hiccups: benign hiccups, the most common and which generally last only a few minutes, persistent hiccups which last more than 48 hours and refractory hiccups which last for more than a month. This latter condition affects one in 100,000 people; this symptom is serious and disabling and affects daily life. Medicine believes that there are nearly 200 causes of hiccups. But hiccups, if they persist, should be considered a serious symptom and warrant medical attention.
The different causes of hiccups
Hiccups are caused by irritation of a nerve as it passes through the diaphragm, which then causes a sudden, involuntary contraction of the respiratory muscles. In its acute form, the usual form, we know that the cause is mainly digestive, particularly in cases of inflammation of the esophagus.
Hiccups occur when you swallow air while eating, drink too many carbonated and alcoholic drinks, or eat too hot or too cold. Sudden changes in ambient temperature, smoking more than 10 cigarettes a day, emotions, stress, excessive laughing, coughing and even tickling are likely to lead to a “attack” of hiccups. In all these cases, this is not serious.
Grandma’s tips for getting rid of them
The solutions recommended by our grandmothers, some of which may seem far-fetched, are often modeled on our latest knowledge. For example, we noticed that when carbon monoxide increased, hiccups decreased, hence the tip of holding your breath as long as possible.
Stimulating the pneumogastric nerve works very well too: it justifies trying hypnosis, acupuncture or even trying to scare the person who has the hiccups. You can also quickly drink a glass of water, pull out your tongue, swallow bread crumbs or vinegar on sugar. This time, medicine goes hand in hand with grandmother’s remedies.
Hiccups even in the fetus!
Two months into pregnancy, the fetus begins to hiccup in the mother’s womb, even before any respiratory movements occur. Some hypotheses suggest that hiccups prepare the baby’s airways to breathe after birth. Others think that these movements prevent the amniotic fluid in which he is bathed from reaching his lungs.
It is possible that hiccups in adults come from these primitive reflexes.