Causes
There is no single reason as to why hiccups occur but they definitely do not seem to serve any useful purpose. In many cases a reason cannot be identified. Some of the most common reasons for hiccups are as follows:-
- Expansion of the stomach and the transportation of the stomach acid into the upper chest pipe called the esophagus. This can be caused by eating spicy food
- Change in stomach environment –eating hot or extremely cold food
- Eating or drinking too quickly
- Consuming alcohol, large meals, carbonated drink
- Infection of the lungs e.g. pneumonia
- Tumor of the lungs
- Sometimes with Heart-attack
- Infection of the outer lining of the lungs called pleura - called pleurisy
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- Disease / irritation in the thorax
- Neurological lesions or tumor involving the hiccup centre in brain
- Surgery of the chest or the upper abdomen
- Lung Tumors/pneumonia/ heart attack/GERD
- Kidney failure
- Certain medications, particularly those that cause acid reflux into esophagus
- Drawing breath quickly during sneezing coughing, laughing
