Hiccups are an involuntary symptom that cannot be artificially controlled.
Hiccups are a symptom of irritation of the diaphragm, phrenic nerve, vagus nerve or central nervous system due to various reasons. They can be categorized into transient hiccups and persistent hiccups. Transient hiccups usually go away on their own, while persistent hiccups suggest the presence of organic lesions.
Common causes of hiccups include physiologic and pathologic. Physiological causes are mostly related to diet, cold, etc. Pathological causes include reflux esophagitis, pneumonia, pericarditis, meningitis, craniocerebral injury and so on.
Hiccups can be relieved by physical therapy (e.g. holding breath with water, deep breathing, etc.) and medication (e.g. chlorpromazine, phenytoin sodium, etc.).
For hiccups, it is recommended to consult a doctor to analyze the cause and treatment measures.