Hiccups are an involuntary spasm of the diaphragm that causes a sudden inspiration that stops with an equally sudden closure of the glottis, producing a sound.
The causes of hiccups can be:
CENTRAL | Increased intracranial pressure (intracranial bleeding) Inflammatory processes (meningitis, syringomyelia, encephalitis, tabes dorsalis) Blood circulation disorder (epilepsy, atherosclerosis of the brain) Intoxication (alcohol, uremia, diabetic coma, typhoid, dysentery) |
PERIPHERAL | Lymphoma of the neck Mediastinal tumors Esophageal diverticulum Substernal goiter Mediastinitis Diaphragmatic pleurisy Diaphragmatic hernia Spinal infections Pulmonary infarction Aortic aneurysm |
REFLEX | Peritonitis Subphrenic abscess ileus Cholangitis Pancreatitis Gastrectasia Stomach tumors Chronic gastritis |