Almost everyone must have had a hiccup. The condition that is accompanied by the sound of ‘hik’ certainly makes us feel uncomfortable and immediately drink water to relieve it. Actually What Is A Hiccups: Is it Contagious?, Congenital Disease, and Can It Happen To Animals?
By listening to this article, you’ll know how to stop the hiccups that occur constantly. You may also wonder why you got this. What happens when you hiccup?
What Is A Hiccups
Hiccups, otherwise known as singultus in medical language, are ‘hik’ sounds that appear accidentally when the diaphragm muscles tense or contract uncontrollably. The diaphragm itself is a dividing muscle of the chest and abdominal cavity that plays an important role in human breathing.
As a result, air enters the lungs suddenly. This causes the respiratory valve to close very quickly, resulting in a pinched sound.
Is it Contagious?
Hiccups usually only last for a few minutes and do not harm health. However, in some cases, hiccups can occur continuously and do not stop for several days, even months. This could indicate another health problem.
What are the causes of hiccups? Can it be caused by a congenital disease?
Hiccups can happen because of things. Starting from the problem of body organs, nerves, to the type of medicines commonly consumed.
Causes of mild hiccups
Mild hiccups are usually caused by the following:
- Drink fizzy drinks
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Eating too much
- Emotional excitement or stress
- Sudden temperature changes
- Swallowing air while chewing gum or sucking candy
Causes of unnatural hiccups
The cause of unnatural hiccups is common in people who have several disease problems suffered. This can last up to 48 hours or more.
Various triggers that result in hiccups with long intensity, including:
Brain problems
The condition of the brain’s troubled blood vessels can lead to impaired brain function. This affects the appearance of hiccups lasting for up to days. Some diseases due to vascular problems, among others:
- Stroke
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- Brain aneurysm
Problems with the peripheral nervous system
Long-term hiccups can also be caused by damage or irritation to the peripheral nervous system. This affects the movement of the diaphragm muscles.
Abnormalities in the digestive system
Hiccups are conditions that are likely to be closely related to digestive system problems, such as:
Increase in stomach acid
- Heartburn
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
- Tumor or esophageal cancer
Postoperative hiccups
Some cases of diaphragm muscle tightening occur after surgery. The use of anesthesia before surgery can lead to prolonged hiccup conditions. However, until now it has not been ascertained whether the condition arises as a result of the operation itself or triggered by the use of anesthetics.
Metabolic system abnormalities
The body’s troubled metabolic system can be the cause of long-term hiccups. Diseases related to the body’s metabolic system are diabetes and kidney failure.
Consumption of certain medications
Here are the drugs that can trigger the appearance of hiccups:
- Parkinson’s Treatment
- morphine
- Steroids
- Azithromycin
- Aripiprazole
However, there are times when the condition is caused by other health problems and symptoms continue to appear even more than 48 hours. The doctor will usually prescribe the following medications for hiccups that never go away:
- Chlorpromazine
- Gabapentin
- Simethicone
- Prokinetic drugs
- Baclofen
- Nifedipine
- Midazolam
- Methylphenidate
- Lidocaine
- Sertraline
