Many people wonder what hiccups are. In fact, science has not yet given a clear answer, since the reasons for its appearance can be very different. However, most doctors are inclined to believe that this phenomenon means a physiological process, the main task of which is to remove excess air from the stomach. As a rule, this symptom lasts no more than 5 minutes and does not require treatment. However, it also happens that there is a constant hiccups in an adult. We will talk about the causes and treatment of this condition further.
What does prolonged hiccups mean?
Worried about constant hiccups? The causes of such a disease can be very different. In most cases, the symptom indicates more serious diseases of the internal organs. Here are just the main disorders that lead to prolonged hiccups:
- disruption of the central nervous system;
- various intestinal infections (helminthiasis, giardiasis);
- inflammation of the stomach and gallbladder;
- serious liver damage;
- diabetes.
Of course, the final cause of the pathology can be revealed only after examining the patient. As a rule, with such a symptom, people turn to a therapist or neurologist. However, if the disease turns out to be the result of the development of a more serious illness, the patient may be redirected to another specialist.
Types of hiccups
To understand how to get rid of constant hiccups, you must first understand the types of the disease, since the entire treatment process directly depends on this. Long hiccups are usually classified into 4 types:
- Peripheral. The symptom occurs against the background of a malfunction of the nerves of the diaphragm. Most often, inflammation of the gallbladder, various pathologies of the stomach, or inflammation of some kind of vagus nerve leads to this.
- Toxic. The appearance of discomfort usually occurs due to the penetration of a large amount of harmful substances into the patient's body. As a rule, a similar symptom is observed in patients after poisoning or anesthesia.
- Central. This type of symptom is the most common and longest lasting. As a rule, pathology occurs due to damage to certain parts of the brain after a stroke.
It should also be noted that there is another type of hiccups, which is extremely rare, but also occurs - reflected diaphragm contraction. Such a disorder usually occurs after damage to the organs of the reproductive system, for example, withgiardiasis and helminthiasis. As a rule, the disease occurs in males.
Reasons
Constant hiccups in an adult can occur for a number of reasons. In most cases, the pathological process can stretch for a period of 2 to 3 days. However, medicine knows cases when a symptom haunted people for several months and even a year. Therefore, prolonged hiccups are a serious reason to seek help from a therapist. Only according to the results of the survey and analyzes, it is possible to identify the main cause of the onset of the disease. As a rule, doctors first of all pay attention to 10 main factors leading to the appearance of hiccups:
- taking certain drugs - medications that affect hormones, general anesthesia, barbiturates;
- brain tumors – they can be either malignant or benign;
- diseases that disrupt metabolism - this category includes gout, uremia, obesity and diabetes;
- worms - some varieties of parasites are able to lay their larvae not only in the intestines, but also in the organs of the respiratory system;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - stomach ulcers, gastritis, reflux, stenosis and other disorders can lead to excess air in the stomach;
- liver and kidney damage - special attention should be paid to diseases that can be inherited;
- various intestinal infections - waste products of bacteria can cause intoxication of the body and contraction attacksaperture;
- severe body injuries - special attention should be paid to damage to the skull, as well as soft tissues of the chest organs;
- damage to the cardiovascular or nervous system - nervousness, heart attack, depression, stroke and other diseases.
As for diseases of a chronic nature, such disorders can be caused after prolonged hypothermia of the body or a strong fright. In addition, hiccups often occur after eating during a hurry. If the disorder does not improve over time, a doctor may recommend surgery, but this is rare.
Symptoms
Now you know why constant hiccups can appear and torment the patient. However, in order not to confuse this disease with other disorders of the central nervous system, such as a nervous tic, you need to be aware of the symptoms that accompany the disease. Here are just the most common ones:
- excessive salivation is evidence of damage to the cells of the nervous system;
- pain when swallowing - damage to the organs of the respiratory system;
- a feeling of heaviness in the esophagus is an indicator of gastrointestinal diseases;
- pain attacks in the side and back - this happens with damage to the liver and kidneys;
- sudden cough - indicates the presence of parasite larvae in the organs of the respiratory system;
- migraine - may indicate brain damage;
- heartburn is a clear symptom of gastritis and ulcersstomach.
It is also worth noting that prolonged hiccups may be accompanied by pain in the shoulders and back - this is quite normal. When a person feels a contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm, he involuntarily begins to strain the chest. This symptom is especially enhanced in osteochondrosis.
Diagnosis
Before proceeding to the treatment of persistent hiccups, the general practitioner will have to identify the cause of the disease. This can be done using three simple methods, the description of which can be found below:
- Anamnesis - collection of data based on the patient's medical history, accompanied by symptoms, as well as the patient's personal words.
- Laboratory tests - usually they are prescribed to detect serious diseases (diabetes mellitus, internal infections, and so on).
- Instrumental studies - this category includes ECG, endoscopy of the throat and stomach, chest examination.
Also, all patients suffering from prolonged hiccups, doctors will strongly recommend to undergo an MRI in order to exclude the possibility of developing cancerous tumors. If the diagnosis is confirmed, further treatment will be carried out by a neurologist or surgeon.
Causes of constant hiccups in a child
Sometimes parents face a similar problem. And many of them wonder why the child constantly hiccups. Therefore, let's look at the main causes of such an ailment in children:
- nervous excitement of the childpsyche - the baby may start hiccuping only because he was very scared and nervous;
- diet with a predominance of dry food - special attention should be paid to flour products, which often provoke hiccups;
- hypothermia - in some cases, the cause of the symptom is prolonged exposure to the street during the cold season;
- overeating - children can often eat more food than they need, so the stomach stops working properly;
- thirst - in rare cases, the symptom is provoked by prolonged thirst (especially true for the summer season).
Of course, the treatment procedure will depend entirely on the type and cause of the pathology. If the symptom does not go away within a few days, then the help of a specialist should not be neglected. Otherwise, the disease may develop into a chronic stage.
Drugs against hiccups
As a rule, such an ailment usually goes away on its own within a few minutes after the onset. However, incessant hiccups may be the result of some more serious disease that requires immediate medical intervention. Only a specialist doctor can prescribe drugs after an examination, when the picture of the pathology is completely clear. Here are just the main drugs that help fight hiccups:
- "Ranitidine" or "Omeprazole" - funds aimed at adjusting the acid balance in the stomach and reducing the amount of gases in it;
- "Haloperidol" or "Aminazin" - drugs that are prescribed to relax muscles (including the diaphragm);
- "Gabapentin" - a kind of respiratory stabilizer that eliminates the feeling of suffocation and shortness of breath (it is prescribed even for bronchial asthma);
- Ketamine is an anti-pain medication commonly used as an adjunct to treatment;
- "Sedafiton" - pills against nervous tension (prescribed for mental illness, such as depression).
It is worth noting that for complex treatment several drugs can be prescribed at once, the task of each of which is to overcome a certain ailment. Of course, all medicines should be taken strictly according to the instructions or on the recommendation of a specialist. Needless to say, only a qualified doctor can prescribe a drug to a child. Remember that self-medication often leads to a deterioration in well-being, especially when it comes to children.
Other treatments
In some cases, it is not possible to fix the problem with the help of medications. Then the doctor may advise the patient to undergo other procedures that are aimed at combating an unpleasant symptom. The list below shows only the most commonly prescribed ones:
- Inhalations. As a rule, during such procedures, carbon dioxide is used to help activate the respiratory center, which makes the organsbreathing work more correctly.
- Insertion of the catheter. If an unpleasant symptom could not be eliminated with the help of medications, then the doctor can insert a thin tube into the patient's airways. The main disadvantage of the procedure is discomfort.
- Novocaine blockade. This technique is used extremely rarely, for example, if prolonged hiccups were caused by inflammation of the internal organs of the chest.
If an unpleasant symptom occurs with a certain frequency, then classical means of prevention can cope with it. This includes proper nutrition, regular breathing exercises, sports, as well as the rejection (at least for a while) of bad habits.
How to get rid of hiccups at home?
If for some reason you cannot visit the clinic, and you don’t really want to endure hiccups, you can use special techniques that should help you cope with the disease. In the list below you will find a detailed description of each of them:
- Plentiful drinking of cold water. The most common and most effective way to deal with persistent hiccups. To implement it, you will need to drink cold water for several minutes. The lower temperatures will calm the vagus nerve and cause the diaphragm muscles to return to normal.
- Consumption of sugar and s alt. If you mix a few sweet and s alty grains, and then begin to dissolve them in your mouth, this can help get rid of hiccups. Different tastes strongly irritate the nervousreceptors, causing the vagus nerve to calm down and hiccups to pass within minutes.
- Activation of reflex zones. This "grandfather" method helps to cope with a symptom that has arisen against the background of various psychological disorders. It will be enough to touch a hot kettle or watch a horror movie. If the nervous system focuses on reflexes, then the hiccups will quickly pass.
However, not in all cases, an unpleasant symptom occurs due to the presence of the vagus nerve in the body. Sometimes the cause of hiccups is a banal violation of respiratory functions. Special breathing exercises will help to cope with the symptom:
- alternating deep breath and air retention;
- intensive balloon or paper bag inflation;
- slow exhalation (5 seconds) of a large volume of air;
- raising the body on the exhale (swinging the press);
- even breathing with hand pressure on chest.
If none of the above methods helped, try to take drastic measures - induce a gag reflex. Such a procedure will allow you to get rid of excess air in the stomach, prevent intoxication in case of poisoning, focus the attention of the nervous system on the reflex and relax the diaphragm.
The consequences of prolonged hiccups
As a rule, frequent attacks do not entail any serious complications. But still, in some cases, hiccups can adversely affect the patient's condition. Most oftena similar symptom leads to the following consequences:
- long healing of sutures after surgery;
- inability to carry on a conversation;
- fatigue;
- drastic weight loss;
- insomnia.
Needless to say, a person who suffers from hiccups for a long time will simply feel uncomfortable around other people. Sometimes this condition even leads to serious moral damage. Well, mood loss and depression often cause a stroke. Therefore, there is no denying the fact that prolonged hiccups require medical attention.
Also, do not forget that in most cases such an ailment is a symptom of a more serious disease associated with a malfunction of the digestive tract, respiratory or nervous system, or even the musculoskeletal system. If such an ailment is not diagnosed in time, it can lead to serious complications. The consequences of a disease of the internal organs can be much more serious than from frequent contraction of the diaphragm.
Conclusion
We hope that now you will not ask yourself what to do with constant hiccups. The causes of such a disorder can be quite different, so do not neglect the advice of a specialist if you have time to visit the clinic in the coming days. Well, or you can try to cope with an unpleasant symptom yourself by applying one or more of the methods we have described. Just don't forget thatconstant hiccups is not normal. If you neglect your he alth, then sooner or later it will lead to a deterioration in well-being. Needless to say, you need to be especially careful about a symptom that manifests in a child?
