hiccups

Also known as Hiccup, hiccough

A hiccup (scientific name singultus, from Latin for "sob, hiccup"; also spelled hiccough) is an involuntary contraction (myoclonic jerk) of the diaphragm that may repeat several times per minute. The hiccup is an involuntary action involving a reflex arc. Once triggered, the reflex causes a contraction of the diaphragm followed by the closure of the glottis, the space between the vocal cords, in about 35 milliseconds, which results in the "hic" sound.

AI overview

A hiccup is an involuntary contraction of your diaphragm—the muscle that controls breathing—that produces the distinctive "hic" sound when your vocal cords suddenly close. While hiccups are a normal reflex that most people experience occasionally, they're generally harmless and resolve on their own, though why your body produces them remains somewhat unclear.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Medical condition (new).synonyms: Singultus, hiccough, synchronous diaphragmatic flutter (SDF)

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Research

2,293 papers

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Wikidata facts

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ICD-9-CM: 786.8
ICPC 2 ID: R29
exact match: purl.obolibrary.org/obo/SYMP_0000515
Commons category: Hiccup
NCI Thesaurus ID: C37966

Sources (6)

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Article

19 sections

Contents

Incidence
Signs and symptoms
Causes
Pathophysiological causes
Pre-phrenic nucleus irritation of medulla
CNS disorders
Nerve damage
Other known associations
Evolutionary theories
The burping reflex hypothesis
Phylogenetic hypothesis
Duration
Treatment
Folk remedies
Society and culture
See also
References
Further reading
External links

Hiccups may occur individually or in bouts. The rhythm of the hiccup, or the time between hiccups, tends to be relatively constant. A bout of hiccups generally resolves itself without intervention, although many home remedies are often used to attempt to shorten the duration. Medical treatment is occasionally necessary in cases of chronic hiccups.