HICCUP

also spelled Hiccough, spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm (the muscular partition separating the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity) which causes a sudden intake of breath that is involuntarily cut off by closure of the glottis (the opening between the vocal cords), thus producing a characteristic sound. Hiccups arise from various causes, most commonly overdistention of the stomach. Gastric irritation, nerve spasms, and various metabolic disturbances may also cause hiccups. A wide variety of folk remedies are used to stop hiccups by interrupting the rhythm of the diaphragm spasms; the most common and effective treatment is to hold one's breath for as long as possible. Regardless of treatment, hiccups usually stop within minutes, although they may persist for days or weeks, and there have been isolated reports of hiccups continuing for several years. Prolonged severe hiccups are treated by surgically crushing the phrenic nerve that innervates the diaphragm.