Sudden hiccups are not only physically uncomfortable, but can also cause embarrassment in public. Often tips such as holding your breath, bending over and taking a large gulp of water can quickly stop continuous hiccups. However, hiccups that persist for more than half a day may also indicate certain diseases. Hiccups are a common physiological phenomenon, usually caused by the contraction of the diaphragm between the chest 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 beverages, drink alcohol, etc. Changes in external temperature and excessive smoking can also cause them. Hiccups are not a cause for alarm, but if they are stubborn or last for a long time, they may be a warning sign of certain diseases and deserve our attention. If hiccups persist for more than 12 hours, you should see a doctor. If it is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, pain, and shortness of breath, it may signal a number of illnesses. 1. Acid reflux Bloating and heartburn can irritate the diaphragm, which is a major cause of stubborn hiccups. When these gastrointestinal problems are cured, the hiccups will go away as well. However, if the hiccups do not stop on their own and are accompanied by the signature burning sensation in the stomach, chest or throat, it is time to see a doctor for medical attention. 2. Nerve damage Diaphragmatic spasms are likely to be associated with vagus nerve damage, whether temporary or permanent, such as nerve damage caused by a tumor or trauma. If any factor causes the vagus nerve in the neck, throat, chest, and abdomen to not function properly, annoying and persistent hiccups may occur. Hiccups may even be a warning sign of a stroke, but experts have yet to fully understand the connection, although 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. Hiccups are often accompanied by chest pain, numbness, and blurred vision, but the bad news is that patients themselves do not even notice symptoms other than hiccups. 4. Poor kidney function If a person’s kidney function slowly deteriorates, the kidneys are unable to discharge harmful waste from the body in a timely manner, which can lead to the accumulation of harmful substances in the body. However, as more and more harmful waste accumulates in the body, it makes 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 that they know they are pregnant is that hiccups become frequent. Possible reasons for this are, on the one hand, changes in a woman’s hormone levels and stress levels 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. In a documentary broadcast by the BBC in 2010, a patient spent four years trying various means to cure his hiccups, and he became increasingly frail. Four months after doctors removed 2/3 of his brain tumor, the patient’s hiccups were significantly reduced.