Hiccups Causes and Treatment by MedicineNet.com

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Hiccups

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Medical Author: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

What are hiccups?

A hiccup is a sudden, involuntary contraction (spasm) of the diaphragm muscle. When the muscle spasms, the vocal cords snap shut, producing the hiccup sound.

Hiccups are often rhythmic. They are usually just a temporary minor annoyance, but prolonged hiccups may signal a major medical problem.

What causes hiccups?

Most of the time, there is no obvious cause for hiccups. However, there are some common known causes of hiccups.

Some causes of hiccups include:

Eating too quickly and swallowing air along with foods.
Eating too much (fatty or spicy foods, in particular) or drinking too much (carbonated beverages or alcohol) can distend the stomach and irritate the diaphragm, which can cause hiccups.
Any disease or disorder that irritates the nerves that control the diaphragm (such as liver disease, pneumonia, or other lung disorders).
Abdominal surgery can also irritate the nerves that control the diaphragm, causing hiccups.
Strokes or brain tumors involving the brain stem, and some chronic medical disorders (such as renal failure) have also been reported to cause hiccups.
Some medications may also have hiccups as a side effect, for example:
- medications for acid reflux
- Most benzodiazepines, including diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), and lorazepam (Ativan)
- levodopa, nicotine, and ondansetron (Zofran)
Noxious fumes can also trigger hiccups.

Next: What are the symptoms of hiccups? »

Important Safety Information

KAPIDEX may not be right for everyone. You should not take KAPIDEX if you are allergic to KAPIDEX or any of its ingredients. Severe allergic reactions have been reported.

Symptom relief does not rule out other serious stomach conditions.

The most common side effects of KAPIDEX were diarrhea (4.8%), stomach pain (4.0%), nausea (2.9%), common cold (1.9%), vomiting (1.6%), and gas (1.6%). KAPIDEX and certain other medicines can affect each other. Before taking KAPIDEX, tell your doctor if you are taking ampicillin, atazanavir, digoxin, iron, ketoconazole, or tacrolimus. If you are taking KAPIDEX with warfarin, you may need to be monitored because serious risks could occur.

Uses of KAPIDEX

Persistent heartburn two or more days a week, despite treatment and diet changes, could be acid reflux disease (ARD). Prescription KAPIDEX capsules are used in adults to treat heartburn related to ARD, to heal acid-related damage to the lining of the esophagus (called erosive esophagitis or EE), and to stop EE from coming back. Individual results may vary. Most damage (erosions) heals in 4�8 weeks.

Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. Please see full Prescribing Information for KAPIDEX.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.