inhibited by elevated CO2 and can be
completely stopped by the drug Baclofen (a
GABAB receptor agonist), illustrating a
shared physiology and evolutionary
heritage. These proposals explain why
premature infants spend 2.5% of their time
hiccuping, indeed they are gulping just like
amphibians, as their lungs are not yet fully
formed. Fetal intrauterine hiccups are of two
types. The physiological type occurs prior to
twenty-eight weeks after conception and
tend to last five to ten minutes. These
hiccups are part of fetal development and
are associated with the myelination of the
Phrenic nerve (which drives the diaphragm).
Signs & symptoms
A single or a series of breathing
diaphragm spasms, of variable spacing
and duration.
Might show as a brief (less than one half
second), unexpected, shoulder, abdomen,
throat, or full body tremor.
Might be easily heard as a chirp, squeak,
"hupp", or if properly controlled, a quick
inhaling gasp, sigh, or sniff.
Victim might complain of brief but
distracting or painful, frequent or
occasional interruptions in normal breath,
with sudden momentary pain of the
throat, chest, or abdomen.
If the hiccups are properly controlled
there is no discomfort except for the mild
distraction of the occasional
uncontrollable gasp.
Symptomatic treatment
There has been a tradition of folk remedies,
usually consisting of odd behaviors to
interrupt the hiccups. Because the hiccup is
an effect (sign) of a wide variety of neuro-
respiratory and vestibular causes, initial
treatment should be to mitigate patient
distress, by eliminating the pain of tracheal
(windpipe) 'stoppering', and if still needed,
the anxiety of the diaphragm spasms.
1. Use a "Prevent stoppering" technique for
the trachea (windpipe) by vocal cord closure
or epiglottis, or the mouth by the lips.