Hiccups occur due to sudden and repeated diaphragm movements beyond our control. The diaphragm is the muscle that separates the chest from the stomach. A spasm in this muscle causes the vocal cords to close suddenly, yielding a hic sound. Drinking carbonated beverages, eating a large meal, or getting excited may trigger this problem. It could also result from an underlying condition. Read on to learn more about the symptoms, causes, and remedies for hiccups.

Signs and symptoms
Mast people identify hiccups easily due to the peculiar hic sound and an uncontrolled spasm in the diaphragm. When struggling with hiccups, you may also experience a tightening sensation in the throat, stomach, or chest.

Causes of mild hiccups
What causes diaphragm spasms is unclear. Experts say they could occur for several reasons, such as irritated nerves and low carbon dioxide levels in the blood. The nerve that joins the neck and the diaphragm (phrenic nerve) and the nerve that connects the stomach and the brain (vagus nerve) are two vital nerves in the breathing process that could get irritated, triggering hiccups.

Mild hiccups that go away in a few minutes can occur because of the following reasons:

Drinking or eating too fast or too much
Consuming carbonated drinks
Inhaling toxic fumes
Undergoing chemotherapy
Drink a very cold or hot drink
Using anti-anxiety treatments
Overstretching your neck
Sudden stress, excitement, or fear

Causes of long-lasting hiccups
Hiccups that do not stop after a few days are called persistent hiccups, while those that continue for months are called long-lasting or intractable hiccups. Such hiccups are usually rare but exhausting and stressful. Intractable hiccups could point toward an underlying health condition. They may only go away once the disorder is corrected.

Conditions that could trigger chronic hiccups include stroke, uremia, bowel disease, tumors, cancer, diaphragm pleurisy, pancreatitis, hepatitis, and pneumonia. Long-lasting hiccups could also result in stomach or esophagus disorders like GERD and bladder irritation. Further, they may occur following surgery and during the recovery phase. Consult a doctor if your hiccups last a long time.

Home remedies and tips to relieve temporary hiccups
Acute hiccups resolve on their own; however, some home remedies can accelerate the recovery process. The following remedies help cure hiccups by improving carbon dioxide levels, triggering the phrenic and vagus nerves, and eliminating diaphragmatic spasms:

Holding your breath for five to ten seconds
Biting into a lemon
Pulling on the tongue
Performing the Valsalva maneuver
Pressing on the eyeballs
Drinking water via a valve or rigid straw
Pulling the knees to the chest and holding it for 30 to 60 seconds in a sitting position
Swallowing a teaspoon of dry sugar

Treatments to relieve chronic hiccups
Intractable or chronic hiccups need treatment that targets the underlying cause. Doctors may even suggest procedures like a nerve stimulator, nerve block, or surgery in severe cases. Further, they may recommend alternative therapies like rectal massage, hypnosis, and acupuncture. Do not take hiccups lightly if they do not seem to resolve independently. Instead, visit an expert for evaluation and guidance.