I (male, 70) have constant hiccups, really annoying. According to my doctor it may have been caused by too much stomach acid. I was given an acid-blocking drug, but so far it hasn’t worked. What now?
Joris Bartstra, journalist with a medical degree.
Everyone gets hiccups from time to time, but if it doesn’t stop it can be a major problem. The hiccup is an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm (a dome-shaped muscle between the chest and abdominal cavity) lasting half a second and closing the glottis, giving the typical sound. If the hiccups come on very quickly, they can hinder the heart’s pumping function. The hiccups can have many causes, including irritation from heartburn, spicy food, alcohol and a lot of medications. Many serious illnesses can also cause hiccups, but it is very unlikely that hiccups are the first and only symptom. If a good antacid (such as omeprazole twice a day) really doesn’t help and the hiccups persist, I would still have some lab tests done. If this does not cause any abnormalities, there are various medicines that help, for example the muscle relaxant baclofen.
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