Constant Hiccups

About the Symptom

It refers to frequent repeated spasms of the diaphragm paired with a ‘hic’ sound from the vocal cords closing.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Blurring of vision
• Muscle weakness in the limbs
• Numbness / sensory disorder
• Unilateral blindness
• Numbness of lower limbs
• Dysphagia
• Altered mental status (delirium)
• Involuntary movements
• Impossible to walk normally
• Visual field defect
• Disorder of consciousness
• Abnormal sensation (tingling, prickling)
• Slurred speech
• Seizure attack
• Head injury

Possible Causes

Generally, Constant hiccups can be related to:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

  Multiple sclerosis (MS) disease in which the immune system attacks parts of the brain and spinal cord. The direct cause of MS remains unknown, but certain risk factors have been identified such as low vitamin D levels, tobacco smoking, exposure to UV radiation, childhood obesity, and infection with the virus that causes mononucleosis. The disease tends to affect young people more commonly as well as people living in higher latitudes. MS typically occurs in "attacks" which can include but are not limited to painful eye movements, blurry vision in one eye, numbness or weakness in hands or feet on one side, or double vision.

• Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO)

  Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a rare condition in which the immune system damages the spinal cord and the optic nerves.

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Constant hiccups may be related to these serious diseases:

• Cerebral Hemorrhage

  This is a life-threatening condition where bleeding occurs in the brain tissues or spaces. It is a type of stroke. Causes include high blood pressure, weakened blood vessels, bleeding from a tumor, and head trauma. Risk factors include hypertension, excessive alcohol consumption, and diabetes.

• Cerebral Infarction
• Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
• Chronic Kidney Disease

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Do you experience frequent or continuous hiccups?

FAQs

Find Similar Symptoms

References

• Rouse S, Wodziak M. Intractable Hiccups. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2018 Jun 22;18(8):51. doi: 10.1007/s11910-018-0856-0. PMID: 29934880.

  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11910-018-0856-0

• Steger M, Schneemann M, Fox M. Systemic review: the pathogenesis and pharmacological treatment of hiccups. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2015 Nov;42(9):1037-50. doi: 10.1111/apt.13374. Epub 2015 Aug 25. PMID: 26307025.

  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apt.13374

• Leung AKC, Leung AAM, Wong AHC, Hon KL. Hiccups: A Non-Systematic Review. Curr Pediatr Rev. 2020;16(4):277-284. doi: 10.2174/1573396316666200508112951. PMID: 32384036.

  https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/106467

• Bredenoord AJ. Management of belching, hiccups, and aerophagia. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Jan;11(1):6-12. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2012.09.006. Epub 2012 Sep 13. PMID: 22982101.

  https://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(12)01047-6/fulltext

• Kohse EK, Hollmann MW, Bardenheuer HJ, Kessler J. Chronic Hiccups: An Underestimated Problem. Anesth Analg. 2017 Oct;125(4):1169-1183. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000002289. PMID: 28759492.

  https://journals.lww.com/anesthesia-analgesia/Fulltext/2017/10000/Chronic_Hiccups__An_Underestimated_Problem.17.aspx