Hiccup

A hiccup or hiccough (generally pronounced "hiccup" independent of the spelling) is an involuntary spasm of the diaphragm; typically this repeats several times a minute. The sudden rush of airinto the lungscauses the glottisto close, creating the "hic" noise. A bout of hiccups generally resolves by itself, although many home remediesare in circulation to shorten the duration, and medication is occasionally necessary. By extension, the term "hiccup" is also used to describe a small and unrepeated aberration in an otherwise consistent pattern. The medical term is singultus.

While many cases develop spontaneously, hiccups are known to develop often in specific situations, such as eating too quickly, taking a cold drink while eating a hot meal, eating very hot or spicy food, laughing vigorously or coughing, or drinking an excess of an alcoholic beverage. Hiccups may be caused by pressure to the phrenic nerveby other anatomical structures, or rarely by tumors.

It is still unclear to scientists exactly why hiccups occur, particularly because it doesn't seem to give us any specific benefit. Some speculation exists that hiccups are a remnant of a bodily function that has been phased out by evolution, such as the move from aquatic gilled creatures to land animals. Other theories hold that hiccupping is a fetal process necessary to prevent inhalation of amniotic fluids during gestation. Regardless, more research is required to ascertain their true nature, origins, and purpose, if any.

Home remedies

The following are some commonly suggested home remedies. It should be noted that while numerous remedies are offered, the vast majority fall into just a few broad categories. These categories include purely psychosomaticcures centered around relaxation and distraction, cures involving swallowing and eating (with the rationale generally that this would remove irritants or reset mechanisms in the affected region), and cures involving controlled/altered breathing.

While the first two categories may prove effective for many short lived and minor cases of hiccups, those suffering from an intractable case may become desperate sorting through various ineffective home remedies. Many of the cures centered around controlled breathing (i.e. holding breath) are often ineffective. The only underlying rationale could be the displacement of an irritated nerve through prolonged diaphragmatic expansion.

However, one respiratory remedy has a fairly sound rationale underlying it. Breathing into a bag or small enclosed container (ensuring that it is completely sealed around the mouth and nose) induces a state that is termed respiratory acidosis. The effect is caused by increasing the amount of inspired carbon dioxide, which then increases the serumlevel of carbon dioxide. These increased levels of CO₂ lower the pH in the blood, hence creating a state of acidosis. This state of acidosis produces vasodilationand depression of the central nervous system. The effect allows for increased blood flow to the affected muscles, and suppression of the aberrant nervous impulses. Inducing a state of acidemia through hyperventilation is particularly effective in curing hiccups because the diaphragm rests directly against the pulmonary vasculature that is then flowing with especially low pH blood. It should be noted that this is a potentially dangerous action and should only be done with another person present. As the serum CO₂ level rises abruptly, the person will begin to feel lightheaded and within a few minutes will pass out. If done without a spotter, the person might either injure him or herself as he or she passes out, or pass out in such a way that the bag or container continues to prevent oxygenintake (see also asphyxia).

Additionally, another respiratory remedy, while having no sound scientific principle behind it, is paradoxically one of the most effective in treating persistent hiccups. One breathes out all the air that they are able to in one long exhalation then breathes in all the air they feel they possibly can in one continuous inhalation. The person then attempts to breathe in even more air in a series of short powerful puffs, until their lungs cannot hold any more. The person remains in this state for as long as they feel they can hold that breath in. Although the success rate is not 100%, many people find this method consistently works.

Psychosomatic

• Distraction from one's hiccup (e.g. being startled or asked a perplexing question)
• Concentration on one's hiccup

Swallowing

• Swallowing three times while holding one's breath
• Eating particular foods, such as peanut butter/Fluffernutter, chocolate, sugaror honey, Lingonberryjam, wasabi, vinegar
• Eating a spoonful of granulated table sugar (slowly letting it dissolve in mouth)
• Inserting one's thumbs in one's ears, closing one's nose with one's index fingers, and drinking a glass of water
• Drinking a glass of water through a napkinplaced over the glass
• Drinking a glass of water in several small sips
• Drinking a glass of water "from the wrong side of the glass", i.e. bending over a sink so one's head is upside-down when drinking
• Drinking a glass of water with another's palms against one's ears
• Drinking a glass of a carbonatedbeverage(with salt)
• Gulping down a glass of water while holding one's breath
• Drinking a glass of water several times successively.
• Eating an ice cube
• Drinking a glass of water with a spoon touching one's Temple.

Respiratory

• Breathing slowly and deeply in while thinking 'breathing out' and breathing slowly and fully out while thinking 'breathing in'
• Breathing slowly and deeply in and out through the mouth
• Holding one's breath while optionally squeezing one's stomach
• Breathing deeply through the nose, then exhaling slowly through the mouth
• Exhaling all the air from one's lungs and holding one's breath while swallowing water or saliva
• Blowing up a balloon
• Inducing sneezing
• Breathing into a paper bag or other sealed container (Only attempt this in severe cases of hiccups that have persisted despite other attempts at cures. Perform this sitting or laying down, and with someone at your side to ensure safety. Stop as soon as you begin to feel lightheaded.)

A few people have the ability to stop hiccupping by simply choosing to do so. This brings up intriguing relationships regarding voluntary control of various body functions.

Medical treatment

Referred to as singultus, hiccups are treated medically only in severe and persistent (termed "intractable") cases. Haloperidol(Haldol, an anti-psychotic and sedative), metoclopramide(Reglan, a GI stimulant), and chlorpromazine(Thorazine, an anti-psychotic with strong sedative effects) are used in cases of intractable hiccups. In severe or resistant cases, baclofen(an anti-spasmodic) is sometimes required to suppress hiccups. Effective treatment with sedatives often requires a dose that either renders the person unconscious or highly lethargic. Hence, medicating singultus is done short-term and is not a situation where the affected individual could continue with normal work and school activities while taking the medication.

The New York Timesreports that Dr. Bryan R. Payne, a neurosurgeon at the Louisiana State UniversityHealth Sciences Center in New Orleans, has had some success with an experimental new procedure in which a vagus nerve stimulator is implanted in the upper chest of patients with an intractable case of hiccups. "It sends rhythmic bursts of electricityto the brainby way of the vagus nerve, which passes through the neck. The Food and Drug Administrationapproved the vagus nerve stimulator in 1997as a way to control seizures in some patients with epilepsy. Last year, the agency endorsed the use of the stimulator as a treatment of last resort for people with severe depression" [1].

World record

The world recordfor the longest continuous bout of hiccups goes to Charles Osborne (1894–1991) from Anthon, Iowa. The hiccups started in 1922 at a rate of 40 times per minute, slowing to 20 and eventually stopping in February 1990 – a total of 68 years. [2]

External links

• Hiccups (WebMD)
• The Straight Dope: What are hiccups and why do we get them?
• Cures for Hiccups
• Guinness World Record- Longest Hiccup
• BBC News:Why we hiccupde:Schluckauf

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiccup Wikipedia article Hiccup.