What are the main causes of Ativan-induced hiccups. How can you recognize the symptoms of drug-induced hiccups. Which home remedies are most effective for treating hiccups caused by Ativan. How long do Ativan-induced hiccups typically last. What are the potential complications of prolonged hiccups.

The Phenomenon of Ativan-Induced Hiccups: An Overview

Hiccups, medically known as singultus, are a common physiological occurrence that most people experience at some point in their lives. While usually brief and self-limiting, hiccups can sometimes persist and become a source of discomfort, especially in postoperative patients. Interestingly, certain medications, including Ativan (lorazepam), have been associated with triggering hiccups in some individuals.

Ativan, a benzodiazepine commonly prescribed for anxiety and insomnia, has been anecdotally linked to hiccups as a side effect. Although the exact mechanism is not fully understood, it’s believed that Ativan may interfere with the neural pathways involved in the hiccup reflex arc.

What is the hiccup reflex arc?

The hiccup reflex arc consists of three main components:

• Afferent limb: Includes the phrenic and vagus nerves, along with the sympathetic chain from T6 to T12
• Center: Located somewhere between C3 and C5 in the spinal cord
• Efferent limb: Comprises the phrenic nerve, accessory respiratory muscles, the glottis, and autonomic processes involving the medullary reticular formation and hypothalamus

Understanding this complex neural pathway helps explain why certain medications, including Ativan, might trigger hiccups in some individuals.

Recognizing Ativan-Induced Hiccups: Signs and Symptoms

Identifying Ativan-induced hiccups is crucial for proper management and treatment. While the symptoms may seem obvious, it’s important to distinguish them from other potential causes.

What are the primary symptoms of Ativan-induced hiccups?

The main symptoms include:

• Sudden, involuntary contractions of the diaphragm
• A distinctive “hic” sound caused by the closure of the vocal cords
• Rhythmic spasms that occur at regular intervals
• Persistence of hiccups beyond the typical brief duration
• Onset of hiccups shortly after Ativan administration

It’s important to note that while these symptoms are characteristic of hiccups in general, the temporal relationship with Ativan intake is key in identifying the medication as the potential trigger.

The Science Behind Ativan-Induced Hiccups: Mechanisms and Theories

While the exact mechanism by which Ativan induces hiccups is not fully elucidated, several theories have been proposed based on our understanding of both hiccup physiology and the pharmacological actions of benzodiazepines.

How might Ativan trigger hiccups?

Possible mechanisms include:

1. GABA modulation: Ativan enhances the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. This modulation might affect the neural circuits involved in hiccup generation.
2. Altered brainstem activity: Benzodiazepines can influence brainstem function, potentially affecting the hiccup center or related neural pathways.
3. Diaphragmatic effects: Ativan may indirectly influence diaphragm function, leading to irregular contractions that manifest as hiccups.
4. Neurotransmitter imbalance: The drug might cause temporary imbalances in other neurotransmitter systems involved in respiratory control.

These theories highlight the complex interplay between Ativan’s pharmacological effects and the neural circuits governing hiccup generation.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Ativan-Induced Hiccups

While Ativan-induced hiccups are not a widely reported side effect, understanding the prevalence and risk factors can help healthcare providers and patients be more vigilant.

Who is most susceptible to experiencing Ativan-induced hiccups?

Several factors may increase the likelihood of developing hiccups as a side effect of Ativan:

• Dosage: Higher doses of Ativan may increase the risk of hiccups
• Individual sensitivity: Some people may be more susceptible to this side effect due to genetic or physiological factors
• Concurrent medications: Interactions with other drugs might potentiate the hiccup-inducing effect
• Underlying medical conditions: Certain gastrointestinal or neurological disorders may predispose individuals to drug-induced hiccups
• Age and gender: While hiccups generally affect males and females equally, intractable hiccups are more common in men

It’s important to note that the overall incidence of Ativan-induced hiccups is relatively low, and most patients tolerate the medication without experiencing this side effect.

Effective Home Remedies for Ativan-Induced Hiccups

When faced with Ativan-induced hiccups, several home remedies can provide relief. These methods aim to interrupt the hiccup reflex arc or stimulate the vagus nerve to stop the hiccups.

Which home remedies are most effective for Ativan-induced hiccups?

Try these proven techniques:

1. Breath holding: Hold your breath for 10-15 seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat as necessary.
2. Drinking water: Sip water slowly or drink from the opposite side of the glass to stimulate the vagus nerve.
3. Gargling with ice water: The cold temperature and the act of gargling can help reset the diaphragm.
4. Pulling on your tongue: Gently pull your tongue forward for a few seconds to stimulate the vagus nerve.
5. Breathing into a paper bag: This increases CO2 levels in the blood, which may help stop hiccups.
6. Eating a spoonful of sugar: The granules may stimulate the vagus nerve as they pass through the throat.
7. Biting on a lemon: The sour taste can trigger a reflex that may interrupt the hiccup cycle.

Remember, what works for one person may not work for another, so it may take some trial and error to find the most effective remedy for you.

Medical Interventions for Persistent Ativan-Induced Hiccups

While most cases of Ativan-induced hiccups resolve on their own or with simple home remedies, persistent hiccups may require medical intervention. Healthcare providers have several options at their disposal to address stubborn cases.

What medical treatments are available for persistent Ativan-induced hiccups?

Medical interventions may include:

• Medication adjustments: Reducing the Ativan dosage or switching to an alternative medication
• Pharmacological treatments: Prescribing medications like baclofen, chlorpromazine, or metoclopramide to suppress hiccups
• Nerve blocks: In severe cases, phrenic nerve block may be considered
• Acupuncture: Some studies suggest acupuncture may be effective in treating persistent hiccups
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy: For cases with a potential psychogenic component

It’s crucial to consult a healthcare professional if hiccups persist for more than 48 hours or significantly impact daily life.

Prevention Strategies for Ativan-Induced Hiccups

While it’s not always possible to prevent Ativan-induced hiccups, certain strategies may help reduce the risk or mitigate the severity of this side effect.

How can one minimize the risk of developing Ativan-induced hiccups?

Consider these preventive measures:

1. Dosage optimization: Work with your healthcare provider to find the lowest effective dose of Ativan
2. Timing of administration: Take Ativan with food to potentially reduce gastrointestinal irritation
3. Hydration: Maintain proper hydration to support overall physiological balance
4. Stress reduction: Practice relaxation techniques as stress may exacerbate hiccups
5. Posture: Avoid lying down immediately after taking Ativan
6. Alternative medications: Discuss with your doctor if other anxiety medications might be suitable alternatives

Remember, prevention strategies should always be discussed with a healthcare professional to ensure they don’t interfere with the intended therapeutic effects of Ativan.

Long-Term Implications of Ativan-Induced Hiccups

While most cases of Ativan-induced hiccups are transient and resolve without long-term consequences, persistent or recurrent episodes may have broader implications for patient care and quality of life.

What are the potential long-term effects of recurrent Ativan-induced hiccups?

Possible long-term implications include:

• Sleep disturbances: Chronic hiccups can significantly disrupt sleep patterns
• Nutritional deficits: Persistent hiccups may interfere with eating and lead to weight loss or malnutrition
• Psychological distress: Recurring hiccups can cause anxiety and affect mental well-being
• Social implications: Frequent hiccupping may lead to social embarrassment or isolation
• Treatment challenges: Difficulty in managing anxiety if Ativan needs to be discontinued due to hiccups

Healthcare providers should be aware of these potential long-term effects and work closely with patients to develop comprehensive management strategies.

Understanding the phenomenon of Ativan-induced hiccups is crucial for both healthcare providers and patients. By recognizing the symptoms, understanding the underlying mechanisms, and being aware of effective remedies and prevention strategies, individuals can better manage this potential side effect. While Ativan-induced hiccups are generally not severe, persistent cases warrant medical attention to ensure proper treatment and prevent long-term complications. As with any medication-related concern, open communication between patients and healthcare providers is key to optimal management and outcomes.

Transient Hiccups Associated with Oral Dexamethasone

Case Rep Dent. 2013; 2013: 426178.

Published online 2013 Oct 9. doi: 10.1155/2013/426178

Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer

Hiccups, or singulata (hiccup is singultus), are commonly experienced by most people at one time or another and are usually brief and self-limiting. Although pharmacotherapeutic agents are not generally considered causal in the etiology of hiccups, many clinicians empirically associate episodic hiccups in their patients as being drug induced. The two classes of drugs most often cited as causing hiccups are corticosteroids and benzodiazepines. This report involved a patient who was given preoperative dexamethasone and developed hiccups before anesthesia and surgery commenced. He at no time was in distress, and the surgical procedure was completed without complication. By the second postsurgical day his hiccups were resolved completely. Although the association may be anecdotal, many clinicians consider hiccups a potential side effect of steroid therapy, especially high doses of steroids. Of interest in this case is the relatively low dose of corticosteroid used, albeit apparently linked to his hiccups. Practitioners should be aware of this potential condition.

Hiccups, or singulata (hiccup is singultus), are very common and are experienced by most people at one time or another. They are usually brief and self-limiting but may become prolonged in some patients [1]. Hiccups that linger on for some time may become worrisome to the postoperative patient, thus hindering their nutritional and sleep needs [2, 3].

Hiccups are sudden, uncontrolled contractions of the diaphragm, followed by immediate inspiration and closure of the glottis over the trachea, producing the “hiccup” sound [4]. The classification of hiccups is as follows: up to 48 hours, acute or transient; longer than 48 hours, persistent; and more than a month or two, intractable [5]. The frequency of hiccups in males and females is equivalent, although intractable hiccups occur at a much higher rate in men [6, 7]. The exact etiology of the hiccup is unknown, but the neural process involves the reflex arc consisting of the afferent limb, the center, and the efferent limb [8, 9]. The afferent limb contains the phrenic and vagus nerves together with the sympathetic chain from T6 to T12. The center is linked to the afferent and efferent limbs and occupies a nonspecific location somewhere between C3 and C5. The efferent limb includes the phrenic nerve, accessory respiratory muscles, the glottis, and autonomic processes involving the medullary reticular formation and hypothalamus [4, 10]. One review proposed that the hiccup reflex arc is a myoclonic action and not a true reflex [11].

Medical conditions that have been associated with the development of hiccups include gastrointestinal, neurological, pulmonary, psychogenic, cardiovascular, metabolic, anesthesia related, and drug induced conditions [3, 4, 8, 12, 13]. Using a strict standard, drugs have not been proven to be a common cause of hiccups [7, 14]. Nevertheless, many clinicians have alluded to various medications as triggering the hiccup reflex [1, 3, 6, 13, 15–24]. The following case describes a patient who experienced transient hiccups following oral presurgical administration of dexamethasone.

A 40-year-old male with an unremarkable medical history presented for surgery to place an implant. He was in excellent health, did not take any medications, and was not allergic to any drugs. The patient had taken a single prophylactic dose of 8 mg oral dexamethasone approximately 1 hour earlier. After presurgical vital signs were taken, and before any other medication (sedation, local anesthesia) was administered, the patient developed intermittent bouts of hiccups at a rate of roughly 5 to 7 per minute. He was in no distress and wanted to continue the procedure. Oral triazolam 0.50 mg was given, and by the time the surgery started, the episodic hiccups were reduced greatly allowing the implant to be placed uneventfully. By the time the patient was ready to be escorted from the clinic, the hiccups had returned at about the same rate they occurred preoperatively. He was given postoperative instructions and reassurances and followed up telephonically the next day, where he reported that by late afternoon (32 hours) the rate of hiccup episodes was reduced. The patient’s hiccups resolved completely by 42 hours after he took the dexamethasone. At the 1-week postoperative appointment, the incident was reviewed with the patient and counseling was given on the suspected drug-induced cause of the transient hiccups for his future reference/benefit.

There are few reports in the literature on dexamethasone-induced hiccups and none in the dental literature [6, 15, 18, 23, 24]. Other cases of corticosteroid-induced hiccups have been reported [1, 25], and Dickerman et al. have described the first cases of anabolic steroid-induced hiccups [16, 17]. The only other adverse reaction to steroids found in the dental literature was a case of episodic psychiatric disturbance (cognitive dysfunction) in an 18-year-old female who had taken dexamethasone briefly [26]. The author would be remiss not to mention another suspected dexamethasone-induced transient hiccups case he came across years earlier, but, because other drugs were also given intravenously at the same time, it could not be confirmed.

Corticosteroids and benzodiazepines are the drug groups referenced most frequently in the literature as being associated with hiccups (see the following list), although Thompson and Landry state that there is not sufficient proof that any drug can be considered as definitely causing hiccups [14]. Souadjian and Cain reviewed 220 cases of protracted hiccups and did not mention any medication in the etiology of hiccups [7]. Garvey, who looked at postoperative cases of hiccups, came to the logical conclusion that the etiologic factor was probably drug related [3]; however, she also recounted that the intubation itself may be a contributing factor [27].

Drugs Possibly Associated with Triggering Hiccups:

•  

  Steroids (dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, oxandrolone, and progesterone)

•  

  Benzodiazepines (midazolam, lormetazepam, and lorazepam)

•  

  Barbiturates (methohexital)

•  

  Antibiotics (azithromycin)

•  

  Phenothiazines (perphenazine)

•  

  Opioids (hydrocodone)

•  

  Alcohol.

The case described here was mild and short term and, even though somewhat inconvenient to the patient, was in practice, clinically insignificant. Hiccups that become persistent or intractable however can interfere with a patient’s daily activities and cause them to seek medical assistance. There are various reports in the literature of different treatments for protracted hiccups, including pharmacologic agents [4, 5, 8, 18, 22, 28–34]. Chlorpromazine is at present the only medication approved by the FDA for the treatment of hiccups, although many practitioners have reported less than desirable results with this drug [6, 17, 29].

Baclofen has been shown to successfully treat chronic hiccups [3, 4, 19, 30, 34], and promising results have been attained with the use of gabapentin alone [31] or as an add-on to combination therapy [5, 32].

The evidence for medication-induced hiccups may be empirical, yet for many the association is strong enough that clinicians should take notice. This is especially true for treatments involving steroids [35], drugs that are commonly used in medicine, including dental medicine. Being able to recognize the potential “drug-hiccup link” will better prepare health care practitioners manage any unexpected complications.

There are many uses for steroids in medicine and dentistry, and clinicians should be attentive to any possible side effects of medications prescribed. This paper and case explain the correlation between hiccups and steroid treatment in the perioperative setting. Although drug-induced hiccups have not been absolutely confirmed with controlled studies, the incidence is sufficient enough to raise questions by many practitioners. Fortunately, most cases of corticosteroid-related hiccups appear to be transient and usually end after the drug is withdrawn.

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

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Ativan and Hiccups, a phase IV clinical study of FDA data

Hiccups is found among people who take Ativan, especially for people who are male, 60+ old.

The phase IV clinical study analyzes which people take Ativan and have Hiccups. It is created by eHealthMe based on reports of 68,551 people who have side effects when taking Ativan from the FDA, and is updated regularly. You can use the study as a second opinion to make health care decisions.

Phase IV trials are used to detect adverse drug outcomes and monitor drug effectiveness in the real world. With medical big data and AI algorithms, eHealthMe is running millions of phase IV trials and makes the results available to the public. Our original studies have been referenced on 600+ medical publications including The Lancet, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, and Nature.

On May, 24, 2023

68,551 people reported to have side effects when taking Ativan.
Among them, 81 people (0.12%) have Hiccups.

What is Ativan?

Ativan has active ingredients of lorazepam. It is often used in stress and anxiety. eHealthMe is studying from 72,622 Ativan users for its effectiveness, alternative drugs and more.

What is Hiccups?

Hiccups (an involuntary spasm of the diaphragm and respiratory organs, with a sudden closure of the glottis and a sound like a cough) is found to be associated with 1,713 drugs and 1,153 conditions by eHealthMe.

Number of Ativan and Hiccups reports submitted per year:

Gender of people who have Hiccups when taking Ativan *:

• female: 14.29 %
• male: 85.71 %

Age of people who have Hiccups when taking Ativan *:

• 0-1: 0.0 %
• 2-9: 0.0 %
• 10-19: 4.76 %
• 20-29: 0.0 %
• 30-39: 3.17 %
• 40-49: 7.94 %
• 50-59: 12.7 %
• 60+: 71. 43 %

Common drugs people take besides Ativan *:

1. Lipitor: 27 people, 33.33%
2. Prilosec: 23 people, 28.40%
3. Zometa: 21 people, 25.93%
4. Protonix: 21 people, 25.93%
5. Demerol: 21 people, 25.93%
6. Reglan: 20 people, 24.69%
7. Lasix: 20 people, 24.69%
8. Coumadin: 19 people, 23.46%
9. Nexium: 19 people, 23.46%
10. Norvasc: 19 people, 23.46%

Common side effects people have besides Hiccups *:

1. Nausea (feeling of having an urge to vomit): 41 people, 50.62%
2. Headache (pain in head): 27 people, 33.33%
3. Breathing Difficulty: 27 people, 33.33%
4. Drowsiness: 26 people, 32. 10%
5. Pain: 26 people, 32.10%
6. Chest Pain: 25 people, 30.86%
7. Abdominal Pain Upper: 23 people, 28.40%
8. Emotional Distress: 22 people, 27.16%
9. Nausea And Vomiting: 22 people, 27.16%
10. Abdominal Pain: 22 people, 27.16%

Common conditions people have *:

1. Multiple Myeloma (cancer of the plasma cells): 23 people, 28.40%
2. Trismus (reduced opening of the jaws): 17 people, 20.99%
3. Nausea (feeling of having an urge to vomit): 10 people, 12.35%
4. Pancreatic Carcinoma (pancreatic cancer): 9 people, 11.11%
5. Diabetes: 9 people, 11.11%
6. Diarrhea: 9 people, 11.11%
7. Fever: 9 people, 11.11%
8. Infection: 9 people, 11. 11%
9. 17-Hydroxyprogesterone Increased: 8 people, 9.88%
10. Pain: 4 people, 4.94%

* Approximation only. Some reports may have incomplete information.

Do you take Ativan and have Hiccups?

Check whether Hiccups is associated with a drug or a condition

How to use the study?

You can discuss the study with your doctor, to ensure that all drug risks and benefits are fully discussed and understood.

Related studies

How severe was Hiccups and when was it recovered:

• Hiccups in Ativan

Expand to all the drugs that have ingredients of

lorazepam:

• Hiccups and drugs with ingredients of lorazepam (191 reports)

Alternative drugs to, pros and cons of Ativan:

• Ativan (72,622 reports)

Common Ativan side effects:

• Fatigue (feeling of tiredness): 7,778 reports
• Stress and anxiety: 6,626 reports
• Pain: 6,016 reports
• Weakness: 5,038 reports
• Breathing difficulty: 4,990 reports
• Diarrhea: 4,974 reports

Browse all side effects of Ativan:

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Hiccups treatments and more:

• Hiccups (9,305 reports)

COVID vaccines that are related to Hiccups:

• Hiccups in Moderna COVID Vaccine
• Hiccups in Pfizer BioNTech Covid Vaccine
• Hiccups in Johnson and Johnson Covid Vaccine

Common drugs associated with Hiccups:

• Revlimid: 448 reports
• Aspirin: 432 reports
• Nicorette: 403 reports
• Commit: 313 reports
• Omeprazole: 284 reports
• Metformin: 256 reports
• Fluorouracil: 247 reports
• Dexamethasone: 230 reports
• Nicotine polacrilex: 215 reports
• Cisplatin: 208 reports

All the drugs that are associated with Hiccups:

• Hiccups (1,713 drugs)

Common conditions associated with Hiccups:

• Multiple myeloma: 598 reports
• High blood pressure: 360 reports
• Quit smoking: 299 reports
• Pain: 238 reports
• Type 2 diabetes: 233 reports
• Multiple sclerosis: 223 reports
• Diabetes: 185 reports

All the conditions that are associated with Hiccups:

• Hiccups (1,153 conditions)

How the study uses the data?

The study uses data from the FDA. It is based on lorazepam (the active ingredients of Ativan) and Ativan (the brand name). Other drugs that have the same active ingredients (e.g. generic drugs) are not considered. Dosage of drugs is not considered in the study.

Who is eHealthMe?

With medical big data and proven AI algorithms, eHealthMe provides a platform for everyone to run phase IV clinical trials. We study millions of patients and 5,000 more each day. Results of our real-world drug study have been referenced on 600+ medical publications, including The Lancet, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, and Nature. Our analysis results are available to researchers, health care professionals, patients (testimonials), and software developers (open API).

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DISCLAIMER: All material available on eHealthMe. com is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider. All information is observation-only. Our phase IV clinical studies alone cannot establish cause-effect relationship. Different individuals may respond to medication in different ways. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. The use of the eHealthMe site and its content is at your own risk.

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How to get rid of hiccups quickly and easily

Likbez

Health

June 1, 2020

Eat a lemon, have sex, or breathe into a bag.

Where does hiccups come from

Hiccups are involuntary contractions of the diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen and plays a vital role in breathing.

The movements of the diaphragm are controlled by the brain. Sometimes he gives incorrect signals, causing her to contract faster than necessary. With each spasm, the muscle presses on the lungs and pushes air out of them. It passes under pressure through the larynx and closes the glottis and epiglottis. This process is accompanied by a characteristic sound. Spasms are repeated, hiccups occur.

Physiologists do not always understand what exactly causes diaphragmatic contractions. There are many possible reasons: from accidental swallowing of air to dangerous diseases of the nervous system.

Robert Provine

neuroscientist, author of Curious Behavior: Yawning, Laughing, Hiccups, commentary to Vox

We still don’t really know where hiccups come from. Therefore, her therapy has not improved since the time of Plato.

However, whatever causes hiccups can be stopped with simple methods.

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How to get rid of hiccups

Most ways to quickly stop respiratory spasms have one of two goals: measure the concentration of carbon dioxide in the lungs and blood. Feeling the threat of suffocation, the body quickly recovers and normalizes the work of the diaphragm.

Choose any option you like. And move on to another if the previous one didn’t work.

Hold your breath

Take a deep breath and hold it for 10-20 seconds. Then exhale slowly. Repeat if necessary.

Breathe into a paper bag

Take a small paper (not plastic!) bag and cover your nose and mouth with it. Slowly exhale and inhale so that the bag inflates and deflates. Continue for 15 seconds.

Breathe slowly.

Inhale deeply, counting to five, and exhale in the same way. Do 5-7 reps.

Embrace your knees

Find a place where you can sit comfortably and raise your knees to chest height. Grasp your legs with your hands and try to press them more tightly to the body, while leaning forward. Sit in this position for 20-30 seconds.

Drink a glass of cold water

Do it quickly. To stimulate the vagus nerve even more effectively, you can drink through a straw, plugging your ears with your fingers, pressing on your closed eyes, or squeezing the wings of your nose.

Suck on an ice cube

Suck it on for a few minutes. And swallow when it shrinks to a small size.

Eat something with a strong taste

For example, a slice of lemon or a tomato seasoned generously with vinegar.

Try to induce a gag reflex

This can be done by pressing your fingers or a spoon on the base (root) of the tongue. The inevitable spasm of the esophagus will stop the contractions of the diaphragm.

Stick out your tongue as far as you can

To be sure, pull it out and down with your fingers. This will also put pressure on the root of the tongue and provoke a spasm of the esophagus.

Put sugar on the tongue

Approximately a teaspoon, trying to place the crystals as close as possible to the root of the tongue. Let the sand dissolve or do not swallow for at least 5-10 seconds.

Inhale something with a strong smell

Ammonia or ammonia will do.

Massage the carotid artery

It runs on both sides of the neck. This is the paired artery that you press with your fingers when you try to feel for a pulse under the lower jaw.

Lie on your back, turn your head to the left and massage the artery on the right side in a circular motion for 5-10 seconds.

Do a rectal massage

Simply place your finger in the anus. This non-standard method was discovered by doctors at the Bnei Zion Medical Center (Haifa, Israel). This is how they stopped the persistent hiccups in a 60-year-old patient.

In 2006, doctors even received the Ig Nobel Prize for their discovery.

Have sex

Francis Fesmire, the physician who published the first study on the benefits of rectal massage, later said that he would have advised sex instead of a finger in the anus.

Francis M. Fesmire

emergency medicine specialist, commenting to the New Scientist

Orgasm results in incredible stimulation of the vagus nerve. From now on, I will recommend sex as a cure for intractable hiccups.

Get distracted

Often, to get rid of hiccups, it is enough to stop concentrating on it. Take a Chinese or English lesson online, complete a crossword puzzle, or try mentally calculating 112 ÷ 4 × 2.5.

What to do if you can’t stop hiccuping

Attacks of diaphragmatic contraction usually last a few minutes and are not dangerous. But if you have hiccups for more than 48 hours in a row or cramps cause problems with eating, sleeping, breathing, see a therapist as soon as possible. Such hiccups are a sign of serious illness. Only a doctor can diagnose them.

This article was first published in September 2016. In June 2020, we updated the text.

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Hiccups in Russians and Sheva in Komi: Comparative analysis | Ryabinin Readings – 2011| Electronic library

Text tags:

History Ritual symbolism Ritual folklore Ryabinin readings Ethnography

p. evil sorcerer.

Representations and practices associated with hiccups and sheva, in the past, existed in a large territory of Russia and today are recorded in the Arkhangelsk region, the Komi Republic, in the western regions of the Perm Territory and some regions of Siberia.

Hiccups, according to the observations of V.A. Merkulova, “is an independent formation based on the specific local meaning of the verb ikat ‘shout, call’”
[1]
. Komi word shevu: comes from Proto-Permian *šoua ‘something with a voice, sound, message’, *šo ‘voice, sound’
[2]
. Both the word hiccup and sheva are semantically related to sound. Hiccups and sheva, getting into the human body, are endowed with the ability to make various sounds or speak.

Hiccups usually have the appearance of a chthonic animal (frogs, lizards, mice, etc.), sometimes – frog eggs, less often – flies, spiders, mosquitoes, etc. Sheva is also a small animal, more often – a lizard, a worm, a butterfly, a beetle, etc. The difference between a sheva and a hiccup is that it can be made by a sorcerer from objects, for example, from a pine needle from a broom for a stove or from litter, ashes
[3]
.

Hiccups often have unusual features, for example, a lizard is red, or it has two heads: “A spindle (lizard. – N.M.) runs around the garden, it has two heads, in front and behind. Mom’s sister was frightened, and the wheel stood up in her throat. I got sick and died.”
[4]
.[text from the site of the museum-reserve “Kizhi”: http://kizhi.karelia.ru]

Both hiccups and shevas are usually given to the sorcerer at the time of initiation. Both of them, on the one hand, are his assistants, on the other hand, the sorcerer is dependent on them: mythological creatures constantly require work from him, for example, to instill them in a person. Hiccups are masculine, and they inhabit only women. Shevas are both feminine and masculine, they inhabit not only women, but also men and even children.

The sorcerers sent hiccups and sheva to a certain person: calling his name, she moved into a person if the person cursed or mentioned evil spirits. Mythological creatures hiccups and sheva in the patient’s body devour the patient’s insides: “Something like an accursed gnat, a sharp-toothed mouse will dull to the heart, and it gnaws so much that you even throw yourself into the water”
[5]
. “She (sheva. – N.M.), eats (literally “nibbles”) the most delicious tissues of the body. Eye protein is considered a special delicacy for her.
[6]
. Thus, hiccups and sheva probably steal part of a person’s vitality: the patient “withers away”, “dries up.”

Hiccups are a type of corruption. According to the traditional ideas of Russians, damage steals vitality. So, in the Siberian conspiracy “From living corruption”, there is an image of corruption – an unclean force that “breaks bones”, “dries the heart”, “drinks blood”, “eats the body”, i.e. destroys the integrity of the body and takes away the vitality of the patient:

“. .. get away, evil spirits, from the peasant heart (name), do not drink hot blood, do not eat a white body”
[7]
.

In the event that the sorcerer did not instill the sheva into the human body, he was forced to feed her with his own body: “Like any living creature, the sheva has a need for food. The sorcerer is forced to feed them, often with his own body.
[8]
. It was said about one sorceress that she crossed the river, took off her clothes in the bushes of wild rose and fed her milk to the shevs, who crawled in the form of worms. 104 her body
[9]
. In another mythological story, a young sorceress often descended into the barn, her mother-in-law heard her sigh heavily. It turned out that she, having stripped naked, was breastfeeding the worms crawling on her. When they burned with a bang, a young woman came running from the field shouting: “I am burning!”
[10]
.

Russians have not recorded such ideas about hiccups. However, there is indirect evidence of a connection between the body of a Russian sorcerer and hiccups: if they are harmed, he “makes” (he experiences a burning sensation). So, hiccups in the form of a poroz (frog caviar) should be burned in the stove: “As if thrown into the oven on fire, they will roar at every voice, like a person. If thrown out into the street, they will enter a person.
[eleven]
. They believed that at that moment a sorcerer came into the house under some pretext, causing hiccups.

The patient, who has hiccups or sheva, has some signs of pregnancy: a spoiled woman has a second being inside, it grows, moves like a fetus: “Sheva, which has entered the body in the form of an imperceptible creature, begins to grow there”; “After a while, she becomes covered with hair and can speak on her own”
[12]
.

The fetus in the mother’s womb is compared to a rat: for example, in a Russian riddle: “Bread lies on the edge of the hut, and a rat sits in the bread. ” Just like a pregnant woman, a sick woman (hiccups) feels heaviness: “The widespread ideas about the “burdenedness” of animals that have a chthonic nature (for example, mice) testify to heaviness as a sign of the inhuman world”
[13]
.

Hiccups (spoilage) are comparable to pregnancy because it can be represented as a two-in-one idea in the same way as pregnancy. As D.A. Baranov notes, “the pregnant woman posed a certain danger to others due to the presence of two souls in her”
[14]
. According to the popular beliefs of the Slavs, “double-mindedness” is a sign of demonic characters. It should be noted that among the Slavs the second soul of a double soul has the appearance of a mouse, a fly, etc. It leaves the human body and returns through the mouth
[15]
like sheva and hiccups. The mythological character (hiccups, sheva) and the fetus have different exit directions from the woman’s body: for hiccups and sheva – up (through the mouth), for the fetus – down. According to folk beliefs, the soul comes out through the mouth of a person. Thus, hiccups and sheva can be compared to the second soul of a person. Hiccups and sheva are associated with ideas about death. [text from the website of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve: http://kizhi.karelia.ru]

The patient regurgitates a mythological creature if the treatment is successful. Sheva can be expelled shortly after the disease, for example, by giving the patient to drink henbane, bone tar, urine, etc., hiccups – tar. The very process of healing is reminiscent of childbirth: the parallelism ‘to give birth – to vomit’.

It is interesting to note that hysterics and hiccups often call the sorcerer “father”, and the sorceress – “mother”.

So, for example, to calm the hysteria, during an attack, they put on a collar taken from a sweaty horse. When a woman was lying in a collar, she was asked: “Who is your father?”, And to this question she called the name of the sorcerer who instilled a demon in her. Sheva, when asked about the owner, points to a person, calling him “mother” or “dad”.

“Plant hiccups” means “spoil”. The meaning of the word “spoil” is to render unusable, to make bad, to harm; “spoil”, probably, goes back to the Indo-European root *por-, per – cognate with “rot” with the meaning “to separate”, “break”, “drill”, “pierce”
[16]
; Praslav *port – the meaning of “pierce”, “pierce”, “pass”, “ride”
[17]
.

The same semantic group includes the words “zaporok” – “spoiled hatched egg”
[18]
; “bastard” – ‘little child’, ‘illegitimate child’, ‘premature baby animal’
[19]
; “to flog” ‘to give birth to a cub (about a female animal)’
[20]
. Some researchers elevate these words to the Indo-European meaning “to hatch”, “to carry in the womb”, “to give birth”: lit. rereti – “hatch” (eggs), lat. pario, -ere – “to bring into being”
[21]
.[text from the website of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve: http://kizhi. karelia.ru]

The meaning of the word “spoil” is associated with ideas of invasion, violation of integrity and ideas of birth, and damage is thought of as “wrongly born”, or otherwise, damage is an “animal” born in the human body
[22]
.

p. 105Probably, therefore, instilling hiccups and sheva in a person contributes to endowing him with visionary abilities. The entry of hiccups into a woman resembles the passage of a sorcerer’s initiation rite, during which he must swallow an animal into himself, for example, a frog. Eating an animal in initiation rites results in the acquisition of magical knowledge. As already mentioned, hiccups and shevas are usually chthonic animals associated with ideas of multiple pregnancy, as well as wisdom / knowledge
[23]
. Etymology of the word: Indo-European gen – “to know” is identical to gen- “to be born (s)” and comes from it
[24]
. Important for us is the thesis proposed by V. N. Toporov about the birth as one form of knowledge
[25]
. Thus, in the ideas of corruption, the ideas of birth and prophetic knowledge are combined.

Probably, these notions are connected with beliefs that hiccups are endowed with the ability to find out the future, determine the thief, the ways in which a person is spoiled: “Hiccups, everyone said, according to the Dvina. They will lose money, they went to the Dvina. His mouth will open (hiccups. – N.M.), his eyes will all turn to the left, he will scream.

And they said who stole the money”
[26]
; “Tatya went to Siberia. Tatya did not believe in witchcraft. Went to hiccup to experience what it is. The young one says: “Go away, she is already tired.” – “Do not drive the stranger, he is in great grief.”

As if there are hiccups in her, and as if this hiccups will tell everything in her. Hiccup will growl, growl, and the woman will say, “Give her candy.” Hiccups – in the old way, evil spirits ”
[27]
; “Uncle was spoiled, he went crazy. His father walked him on the Dvina, there were some hiccups: “She,” he says, spoiled him with a man. Drain the well, the cow’s bottle is stuffed with hemp tow.” The hiccups told her to burn
[28]
. Also, shevas, for example, determined the location of the missing things; their clairvoyant abilities were used during the war in order to find out about the fate of the soldiers who fought, etc. Usually a seer hiccup is a woman, like a clairvoyant who has been possessed by Sheva. We failed to find ethnographic descriptions of cases when a spoiled man was endowed with visionary abilities. [text from the website of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve: http://kizhi.karelia.ru]

The sorcerer is also endowed with visionary abilities, only he does it of his own free will. The difference between the sorcerer and the patient is that the former controls the mythological characters, and the patient is in the power of the mythological character in the form of an animal, which, in turn, is subject to the sorcerer.

Hiccups in North Russians and Sheva in Komi show typological similarity. First of all, it manifests itself in the fact that both shevas and hiccups have the appearance of an animal; in this guise they serve the sorcerer and move into the human body, these mythological characters are endowed with the ability to make sounds and speak.

Northern Russian hiccups are a kind of disease, spoilage, ideas about which are common throughout Russia. Sometimes damage has the appearance of an animal, more often a chthonic one, although more often it appears in the form of a demon. As a rule, the assistants of the sorcerer are devils, but it can be assumed that they replaced other mythological characters that existed before. This is confirmed by the ideas recorded in various regions of Russia about the assistants of the sorcerer, who have the appearance of an animal: cats, dogs, toads, snakes, etc.
[29]
A number of specific features allow us to assert that the image of hiccups among the North Russians, undoubtedly, was somewhat influenced by the archaic beliefs about the sheve among the Komi, which contributed to the preservation of a detailed image of hiccups (spoilage) in the northern Russian territories, in comparison with other regions of Russia, and gave it some other ethnic flavor; at the same time, there is no reason to talk about the Finno-Ugric origin of hiccups
[thirty]
.

• [1] Merkulova V.A. Three Russian medical terms // All-Slavic Linguistic Atlas. Materials and research. 1983. M., 1988. P. 311.
• [2] Ilyina. Traditional culture of the peoples of the European North-East of Russia. Ethnographic electronic encyclopedia [Internet resources] http://www.comi.com/Folk/komi/292.htm
• [3] Sidorov P. Sorcery and corruption among the Komi peoples. SPb., 1997. P.110.
• [4] Archive of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography. Peter the Great (Kunstkamera) RAS, No. 1643, l.32–33. Arkhangelsk region, Pinezhsky district (hereinafter – AMAE).
• [5] Eleazorovsky I. Hiccups – an ailment of the Arkhangelsk province // Arkhangelsk provincial sheets. 1868. No. 77.
• [6] Sidorov P. Witchcraft and corruption among the Komi peoples. P.115.
• [7] Russian calendar and ritual folklore of Siberia and the Far East: Songs, incantations. Novosibirsk, 1997. P.393 (Monuments of folklore of the peoples of Siberia and the Far East; V. 13).
• [8] Sidorov P. Sorcery and corruption among the Komi peoples. P.111.
• [9] Sidorov P. Sorcery and corruption among the peoples of the Komi.
• [10] Ibid. P.110.
• [11] AMAE, No. 1644, sheet 21. Arkhangelsk region, Pinezhsky district.
• [12] Sidorov P. Sorcery and corruption among the peoples of the Komi. P.116.
• [13] Baranov D.A. Pregnancy // Men and women: Male and female in Russian traditional culture. SPb., 2005. P.57.
• [14] Ibid. P.55.
• [15] Levkievskaya E.E. Double souls // Slavic mythology. M., 2002. P.128.
• [16] Chernykh P.Ya. Historical and etymological dictionary of the modern Russian language. M., 1994. Vol. 2. P.58.
• [17] Fasmer M. Etymological dictionary of the Russian language. M., 2008. V.3. P.332.
• [18] Dictionary of Russian folk dialects. L., 1974. Issue 10. P.347.
• [19] Dictionary of Russian folk dialects. L., 1970. Issue 5. P.331.
• [20] Ibid.