Is it possible to die from hiccups? This question often worries people who are prone to frequent and severe attacks of respiratory cramps. With hiccups, a person cannot take a normal full breath, there is a feeling of lack of air. Cramping in the diaphragmatic region can be painful. Hiccups cause a person both physical and psychological discomfort. But is this condition dangerous? Did people die from hiccups? We will try to understand this issue.
What causes a respiratory failure
The vagus nerve is responsible for the occurrence of hiccups. This part of the nervous system sends signals to the respiratory center. Sometimes, under the influence of various factors, the vagus nerve is irritated. He begins to transmit erratic impulses to the center of respiration. The brain, in turn, sends the wrong signals to the respiratory muscles. As a result, spasms of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles occur.
During such convulsive contractions, it is very difficult to take a full breath. The epiglottis closes the airways, the air stream does not enter the lungs and a characteristic hiccup sound appears. Such convulsive shallow breaths are repeated again and again. The duration of spasms of the diaphragm may be different.
Is it possible to die from hiccups if the attack lasts a long time? This condition is usually not dangerous. Sooner or later, the vagus nerve irritation disappears, breathing returns to normal, so hiccups disappear.
Reasons for violation
All causes of hiccups can be divided into physiological and pathological. Vagus nerve irritation can be triggered by the following factors:
- overeating;
- the use of spicy or hot food, as well as a large amount of sparkling water;
- hypothermia;
- excessive dose of alcohol;
- taking certain medications;
- stressful situations;
- prolonged laughter (especially in children).
Such causes of hiccups are physiological and not dangerous. Usually an attack of convulsive respiratory movements stops on its own after 5-10 minutes.
However, the causes of hiccups are not always so harmless. In some cases, vagus nerve irritation can be caused by various diseases. Long and often repeated hiccups can be a sign of the following pathologies:
- diseases of the stomach (gastritis, ulcers);
- pleurisy;
- pneumonia;
- inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (pharyngitis, laryngitis);
- meningitis;
- a stroke;
- brain tumors;
- traumatic brain injury;
- diabetes and other metabolic diseases.
It can be concluded that vagus nerve irritation is sometimes associated with serious pathologies. Severe ailments such as meningitis, stroke, tumors, and brain injuries can cause the patient to die. This gave rise to the myth that hiccups die. In fact, the lethal outcome does not come from hiccups, but from the underlying disease, which caused irritation of the vagus nerve. Hiccups are just one of the symptoms of such a pathology.
How dangerous is it
Did patients in medical practice die from hiccups? There have been no such cases in the history of science. Even a long and persistent hiccup never ended in death. As we already mentioned, only diseases accompanied by irritation of the vagus nerve can be fatal. Hiccuping in itself is not dangerous.
To the question: "Is it possible to die from hiccups?" medical science gives a definite negative answer. But does this mean that such a symptom can be ignored? A single and short fit of hiccups should not cause concern. Most likely, it is associated with physiological causes. But if hiccup attacks last more than two days, then you need to visit a doctor and undergo an examination. Seeking medical help is also necessary if hiccups are accompanied by coughing, headache, deterioration of well-being.
How to get rid
So, we found out that you cannot die from hiccups. Is it possible to quickly stop the attack? After all, this condition, although not a danger, is nevertheless extremely uncomfortable. I want to get rid of hiccups as soon as possible. How to do it? There are several methods:
- Slowly sip a glass of water.
- In the period between spasms, try to take a deep breath and hold your breath.
- Massage the area of the diaphragm.
- Put a slice of lemon on the tongue.
- Pull the tip of the tongue sharply. This helps to stimulate cranial nerves and stop hiccups.
- Dissolve a piece of sugar in your mouth.
Usually these measures are enough to stop the attack. Drug treatment is required only with prolonged, frequent and persistent hiccups. Prescribe sedatives "Corvalol", "Valocordin", as well as antiemetics "Cerucal", "Motilium". These medications help relieve vagus nerve irritation.
In more severe cases, the anticonvulsants Finlepsin and Baclofen are used. But such drugs are strictly prescription and should be taken only as directed by a doctor.
Possible consequences
Is hiccup so harmless? If attacks are noted for a long time, then this significantly affects the quality of life of the patient. Persistent and persistent hiccups exhaust a person. The patient worsens sleep, there are violations of swallowing and breathing, weight loss, fatigue appears. Medicine knows cases when in surgical patients postoperative sutures did not heal well due to hiccups.
Therefore, if such a problem bothers you for a long time, then you should not expect that everything will go away by itself. You need to see a doctor, establish the cause of the hiccups and undergo a course of treatment.