Prolonged hiccups can signal dangerous diseases: cancer, stroke, and more. As the neurologist Natalya Shindryaeva told Lenta.ru, as a rule, hiccups pass quickly and do not cause concern.
It usually lasts up to 15 minutes and is not dangerous. Involuntary spasm of the diaphragm can cause eating too hot or cold foods, carbonated drinks, alcohol, overeating and stress.
At the same time, the doctor warned, there are conditions when hiccups become constant, last more than two days, sometimes several months. In this case, it cannot be ignored because it can signal serious health problems.
According to Shindryaeva, hiccups can be a symptom of damage to the vagus and phrenic nerves, diaphragm, intoxication, and diseases of the central nervous system. She added that the most formidable diseases that hiccups can signal are stroke, esophageal cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, encephalitis, neurosyphilis, pneumonia, brain damage due to head trauma.
In addition, hiccups may be associated with damage to the diaphragm after an abdominal injury, the doctor added. The vagus and phrenic nerve can suffer due to goiter (hypertrophy of the thyroid gland), reflux disease, esophageal cysts, herniated discs, kidney disease, diabetes mellitus.
Another cause of hiccups can be parasites. Infection with trichinella leads to damage to the respiratory and diaphragmatic muscles, the neurologist concluded.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
