Hiccups are a common physiological phenomenon, usually caused by the contraction of the diaphragm between the thoracic and abdominal cavities after stimulation. In healthy people, hiccups are often related to diet, especially if you eat too fast or too much, consume too hot or cold food or drinks, drink alcohol, etc. They can also be caused by changes in external temperature and excessive smoking. Hiccups are not a cause for alarm, but if they are persistent or long-lasting, they may be a warning sign of some disease and deserve our attention. Dr. Kenneth Brown, a Dallas gastroenterologist, says that persistent hiccups can be a warning sign of certain diseases. Dr. Brown says that if the hiccups persist for more than 12 hours, you should see a doctor. If there are other symptoms, such as fever, pain and shortness of breath, hiccups may actually signal a number of illnesses. 1. Acid reflux. Bloating and heartburn can irritate the diaphragm, which is a major cause of persistent hiccups, according to Brown. The good news is that by curing these gastrointestinal problems, the hiccups will go away. So if the hiccups don’t stop on their own, along with the signature burning sensation in the stomach, chest or throat, it’s time to see a doctor for treatment. 2. Nerve damage. Diaphragmatic spasms are likely to be associated with vagus nerve damage, whether temporary or permanent, such as nerve damage from a tumor or trauma. Any factor that causes the vagus nerve to not function properly in the neck, throat, chest, and abdomen can lead to annoying and persistent hiccups. 3. Stroke. Hiccups may even be a warning sign of stroke from the body. Experts have not fully understood the connection, but a specific type of stroke is closely related to hiccups. Strokes that occur in the back of the head are more likely to cause persistent hiccups, and are more common in women. The hiccups are often accompanied by chest pain, numbness, and blurred vision, but the bad news is that the patient herself does not even notice symptoms other than the hiccups. 4. Kidney function becomes poor. If a person’s kidney function slowly deteriorates, the kidneys can’t get rid of the harmful waste in the body in time, which will lead to the accumulation of harmful substances in the body. But Brown said, the kidneys just started to go wrong when the body usually do not feel anything. As more and more harmful waste accumulates in the body, it will make the diaphragm and vagus nerve uncomfortable, leading to frequent hiccups, which is also one of the signs of poor kidney function. The situation is worse if it is accompanied by muscle twitching, extreme thirst, and increasingly pale skin. This explains why some kidney failure patients have frequent hiccups before starting dialysis, but the condition gradually disappears after starting kidney dialysis. 5. Early pregnancy. Although no studies have confirmed the relationship between hiccups and pregnancy, clinically, some women report that the first sign they know they are pregnant is that hiccups become more frequent. Possible reasons for this are, on the one hand, changes in hormone levels and changes in stress levels in a woman’s body after pregnancy, which trigger the appearance of anxiety-related hiccups, and, on the other hand, the increased acid reflux that often occurs in many people with early pregnancy, which can also lead to hiccups. 6. Brain tumors. In a BBC documentary broadcast in 2010, a patient spent four years trying to cure hiccups by various means, and he became weaker and weaker, and was finally diagnosed with a brain tumor in his brain stem, which is the “home base” of the vagus nerve. Four months after doctors removed 2/3 of his brain tumor, the patient’s hiccups were significantly reduced.