Schoolgirl Has Rare Disease; Hiccups Every Two Seconds

A 13-year old school girl in Surrey, UK, is suffering from a rare and as yet unknown condition that makes her hiccup every two seconds. This has been going on for the last ten weeks.

Emily Marsh started hiccuping one day in January and has continued to hiccup since then, even when she is asleep. She has undergone a number of tests, including MRI scan, ultrasound scan, chest X-ray, endoscopy, biopsies, a nasal chute to measure her pH levels, and a gastric emptying study after being referred to St Helier Hospital, in Epsom, Surrey.

Hiccups - Causes - Treatment - References
Hiccups are caused by a paroxysmal, involuntary action due to the spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm. Hiccups are very common in fetus.

She has tried every natural remedy available while doctors have also not been able to find a cure, despite prescribing her with a number of drugs.

“We are willing to try anything. It's been 10 weeks now, and a very long 10 weeks at that. Emily is exhausted by it all but she's taking it in her stride. It makes her throat very sore but she deals with it very well. The thing that frustrates her is this constant tired feeling”, her mother, Cathy Barrett said.

Source-Medindia

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