Going beyond the ordinary (Hiccups Lasting beyond 24 hours).

While growing up, I noticed that parents would usually cut a tiny thread from a cloth and place it on the baby's head during an episode of hiccups. For me, I always wondered why, and I remembered that a few times I did the same thing to myself whenever I had an episode of hiccup.

Did it work for me? I cannot even say exactly, because I cannot tell if it did or not, but it appears to work for those little children though. Describing the connection between a piece of thread being laid gently on a baby's head and the creation of a stop to a hiccup episode is one thing I cannot explain, but it does happen (smiles). Taking water has however proved to be the best remedy in my own case.

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What exactly are hiccups?

Hiccups are constant, uncontrolled contractions of the diaphragm, which is the muscle structure just below the lungs. The diaphragm in the body marks the boundary between the chest and the abdomen, it also regulates breathing. Upon contraction of the diaphragm, the lungs can take in oxygen, and if on the other hand, the diaphragm relaxes, then the lungs are set to release carbon dioxide.

Now, the diaphragm contracting out of rhythm is when we have the occurrence of hiccups. Each spasm of the diaphragm makes the larynx and vocal cords suddenly close, this would lead to a sudden rush of air into the lungs, making the body react with a gasp or chirp, creating the characteristics of what we call hiccups.

It doesn't seem there is an apparent reason for the occurrence of hiccups, they come and go for no clear reason. Short-term hiccups could be triggered by; the consumption of alcohol, eating spicy food, sudden change in air temperature, emotional stress or excitement, excessive feeding, consuming really hot or cold foods, and swallowing air while chewing gum.

We know hiccups happen and there is no need to rush to the hospital when you have one, but when it becomes a prolonged constant occurrence then you need to pay the hospital a visit. With the visit to the hospital, the doctor will be able to determine how severe the hiccups are in correlation to overall health and other health conditions.

Some self-help strategies that people use during hiccups, asides from the water consumption that I mentioned earlier are; sucking on a lemon, holding of breath, taking deep breaths, drinking hot water and honey drink, eating ice, sitting and then leaning forward over the knees, breathing into a paper bag, eating a little fresh ginger, eating a spoon of sugar. Which of these do you usually do to make your hiccups go away, I would like to learn from you through the comment section.

Long-term hiccups last longer than 48 hours, they are regarded as the persistent type. If it lasts longer than 2 months, then they are considered difficult to manage. These types of hiccups are classified based on the nature of the irritant that has triggered their occurrence. These hiccups can be triggered by;

Nerve injury.
Central nervous system (CNS) damage.
Excessive tobacco usage.
Abuse of alcohol.
Electrolyte imbalance.
Kidney failure.
Parkinson's disease.
Cancer and chemotherapy treatments.
Diabetes.
Reaction to anesthesia after surgery.

With hiccups lasting longer than 24 hours, you know it is time to see your doctor. Also, when the hiccups happen at the same time with headache, inability to keep a proper balance, numbness, or something more serious, then you may even need to head to the emergency unit at this point.

In kids, hiccups could happen more frequently during or after feeding, which may happen as a result of them swallowing food too quickly, a child being satisfied, or due to overfeeding. Some even consider it a sign of healthy growth and development in a child.

However, frequent hiccups in a child could be due to GERD, which is a common and treatable condition in children. How to suspect this happening is when the child begins to cry more often, spitting more than usual, then arching the back excessively during or after feeds in addition to hiccups, a pediatrician should be notified.