what does it mean when someone gets the hiccups a lot?
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A cause of long-term hiccups is damage to or irritation of the vagus nerves or phrenic nerves, which serve the diaphragm muscle. Factors that may cause damage or irritation to these nerves include: A hair or something else in your ear touching your eardrum. A tumor, cyst or goiter in your neck.
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A woman may notice, however, that the sensation of hiccups is more rhythmic than other movements. Some people have described it as a twitch or pulsating feeling that is akin to a muscle spasm. Women may start to feel the baby move between weeks 16 to 20 or sometimes later than this.
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Pfanner added hiccups are normally seen in smokers and people who consume large amounts of alcohol. "Anything that causes your stomach to become distended can cause hiccups," he said. "Smokers are prone because they are constantly swallowing air.
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The vocal cords suddenly close, and you get the hiccups. Hiccuping in your sleep can be caused by any number of things that might irritate your diaphragm. These, according to researchers at the Mayo Clinic, include tumors, goiter, pleurisy, stroke, gastrointestinal reflux disease, multiple sclerosis or brain injuries.
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When to expect hiccups You may start to notice fetal hiccups in your second or third trimester. Many moms start to feel these “jerky motions” in their sixth month of pregnancy. But like fetal movement, everyone starts to feel them at a different time. Some babies get the hiccups several times a day.
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One theory is that fetal hiccups play a role in lung maturation. The good news is, in most cases, this reflex is normal and just another part of pregnancy. It's important to note that fetal hiccups are, in general, considered a good sign. After week 32, though, it's less common to experience fetal hiccups every day.
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It can be a sign of insecurity, impatience, excitement, or understanding from the person who finishes other people's sentences. It may also be a sign of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD.
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These include central nervous system lesions or tumors, esophagitis, stomach expansion, ileus, infection, and stimulation of the peripheral nervous system in the head and neck, chest, or abdomen due to surgery or other procedures. In other words, all events that lead to stimulation of the vagus nerve can cause hiccups.
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“For the most part, hiccups are harmless,” says Dr. Jeremy Rezmovitz, a family physician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. There's nothing unusual or dangerous about “drunk hiccups,” but it might be a sign that you've had a few too many.
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They are caused by sudden contractions of the diaphragm triggered by irritation or stimulation of that muscle. Some leading pediatricians are of the opinion that infant hiccups are usually caused by feeding (breast, formula or other foods) or by a drop in temperature that causes the baby to get cold.
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Some medications that can cause acid reflux may also have hiccups as a side effect. Most benzodiazepines, including diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan) can cause hiccups. In addition, medications such levodopa (Larodopa), nicotine, and ondansetron (Zofran) can cause hiccups.
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Puppies will sometimes get hiccups after eating or drinking too fast, when they are tired, when they are very excited, or when they're too cold. Scientists don't actually know why humans, dogs, and other mammals hiccup. One theory is that hiccups are a leftover from when we were developing in utero.
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Hiccup is one of the common side effects of chemotherapy. Intractable hiccups seriously affect patients' rest and eating, reduce the quality of life, and increasingly attract the attention of oncologists.
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As well as kicks, rolls, and jabs, a woman may also notice fetal hiccups. Identifying fetal hiccups can be difficult. A woman may notice, however, that the sensation of hiccups is more rhythmic than other movements. Some people have described it as a twitch or pulsating feeling that is akin to a muscle spasm.
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What Causes Hiccups in Dogs? Just like in humans, a spasm in the diaphragm, the muscle under the lungs, causes hiccups in dogs. The spasm causes the glottis, the opening between the vocal cords, to close abruptly. This results in a “hic” sound.
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The majority of persistent hiccups are caused by injury or irritation to either the vagus or phrenic nerve. The vagus and phrenic nerves control the movement of your diaphragm. These nerves may be affected by: irritation of your eardrum, which may be caused by a foreign object.
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How does alcohol cause hiccups? There are two main reasons that drinking might cause hiccups, and they're both connected to the way your body digests alcohol. If you're drinking something carbonated, like beer or champagne, that carbonation will expand your stomach.