Why do we have hiccups?
Hiccups are repetitive and involuntary contractions/spasms of the diaphragm. Each contraction, spasm is accompanied by a sudden closing of the vocal cords, against the background of which a sound characteristic of hiccups appears.
Occasional hiccups are caused by eating too fast or drinking carbonated drinks, but sometimes this symptom is more than just an unpleasant discomfort - in some clinical cases, hiccups are caused by disease, medication or surgery.
Doctors classify hiccups according to how long they last, namely:
- Temporary hiccups last for several seconds or minutes;
- Permanent lasts 48 hours;
- Untreated for more than 1 month;
- Recurrent hiccups come back for a period of time and each episode lasts for several minutes.
Hiccups are common and normal in children; According to pediatricians, the reason for hiccups in children is that a lot of gas accumulates in the body of small people. According to some doctors, hiccups occur when the baby swallows too much air while eating - although this is only medical opinion and the exact cause of hiccups in children is not known.
Hiccups usually go away on their own without any intervention/treatment.
Be sure to consult a doctor if you hiccough for more than 2 days or if the hiccups are so severe that they disturb your normal life rhythm, for example, you experience discomfort while eating, sleeping or breathing.
Source:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17672-hiccups
