Hiccups

Hiccups are repeated spasms of your diaphragm paired with a “hic” sound from your vocal cords closing. Your diaphragm is a thin, dome-shaped muscle that separates your chest from your belly. It moves downward when you breathe in and upward when you breathe out.

Two things happen when you hiccup:

• Your diaphragm pulls down suddenly between breaths, making you quickly suck in air.
• The glottis (space between your vocal cords) suddenly closes to stop more air from coming in.

These actions make the “hic” sound of a hiccup.

Hiccups usually go away on their own without any treatment. However, some people have hiccups that go on much longer than normal. You should call a healthcare provider if your hiccups last longer than two days. This could be a sign of a more serious condition that needs medical attention.

Other names for hiccups include:

• Hiccough.
• Singultus.

Types of hiccups

Healthcare providers classify hiccups according to how long they last:

• Transient (temporary) hiccups last a few seconds or minutes.
• Persistent hiccups last longer than 48 hours for up to one month.
• Intractable hiccups last longer than one month.
• Recurrent hiccups keep coming back, with each episode lasting longer than just a few minutes.