Hiccups- intractable
Overview
Persistent, difficult to treat hiccups that can continue for days or weeks.
Symptoms
* Persistent hiccups
Causes
The most common cause of hiccups, abdominal distention also causes a feeling of fullness and, depending on the cause, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Treatment
If abdominal distention is the probable cause of hiccups, teach the patient lifestyle changes, such as eating smaller, more frequent meals and avoiding large meals before bedtime. Also, advise the patient to increase fiber and fluid intake to avoid constipation. Warn the patient with chronic renal failure that persistent hiccups, usually accompanied by nausea and vomiting, can indicate worsening or acute decompensation of renal function.