Treatment FAQ

what causes hiccups during cancer treatment

by Prof. Stevie Schamberger Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Hiccups can be caused by irritation of the nerve that controls the diaphragm which can happen for different reasons, such as:

  • Certain chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer
  • Other drugs that may or may not be taken for cancer-related problems, including steroids, anti-nausea medicines, and antibiotics
  • Nerve or brain injuries
  • Fluid in the lungs or near the heart
  • Bloating and gas in the stomach area

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Hiccups can be caused by irritation of the nerve that controls the diaphragm which can happen for different reasons, such as: Certain chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer. Other drugs that may or may not be taken for cancer-related problems, including steroids, anti-nausea medicines, and antibiotics.Feb 1, 2020

Why do I get hiccups after chemotherapy?

  • gargling or drinking ice water
  • eating a piece of dry bread slowly
  • drinking water from the far side of a glass – you will need to be able to bend over to do this
  • taking a deep breath, holding it for as long as you can and repeating this several times
  • sucking on a lemon
  • drinking peppermint water
  • pulling your knees up to your chest

More items...

What causes hiccups in cancer patients?

Hiccups can be caused by irritation of the nerve that controls the diaphragm which can happen for different reasons, such as: Certain chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer. Other drugs that may or may not be taken for cancer-related problems, including steroids, anti-nausea medicines, and antibiotics. Nerve or brain injuries.

Why does scaring someone cure them of hiccups?

  • You eat too fast (chewing less) and gulp in air.
  • Your gastrointestinal lining is torn/weakened.
  • Your gut flora is tampered with.
  • Your body has an intolerance to acidic foods.
  • You love HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON!!❤

Are hiccups a side effect of chemo?

Hiccups are another side effect of chemotherapy that affects some people, particularly those who take anti-nausea medications. The American Cancer Society urges cancer patients to contact their doctor if their hiccups persist for more than a day. Home remedies and medical treatments can treat chemotherapy-induced hiccups.

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Why do cancer patients hiccup?

Hiccups are an unexpectedly common symptom seen in patients having cancer, whether during cancer treatment or in the palliative care setting. Hiiccups causes these sounds due by involuntary clonic spasms of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles due to sudden closure of the glottis.

Can cancer treatment cause hiccups?

Hiccup is one of the common side effects of chemotherapy. Intractable hiccups seriously affect patients' rest and eating, reduce the quality of life, and increasingly attract the attention of oncologists.

What helps hiccups in cancer patients?

Your doctor may treat the hiccups directly. Drugs they might use include: the anti sickness drug metoclopramide (Maxolon) a mild sedative, such as haloperidol or chlorpromazine.

Does radiation therapy cause hiccups?

Hiccups can be extremely vexing for patients while they receive radiotherapy.

How long do chemo hiccups last?

Hiccups generally are self-limiting and of short duration. Those lasting more than 48 h or recurring at frequent intervals are termed persistent. There are numerous causes of hiccups, with medications implicated only rarely.

What chemo drug causes hiccups?

Although dexamethasone is widely accepted as an effective agent for prophylactic management and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and/or vomiting, it can cause numerous side effects such as weight gain, acne, and hiccups.

Are hiccups common in cancer patients?

Hiccups can be caused by irritation of the nerve that controls the diaphragm which can happen for different reasons, such as: Certain chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer. Other drugs that may or may not be taken for cancer-related problems, including steroids, anti-nausea medicines, and antibiotics.

What type of cancer causes hiccups?

Some types of cancers where individuals may find they experience hiccups include the following: Esophageal cancer. Stomach cancer. Pancreatic cancer.

How do hospice patients stop hiccups?

The drug of choice for central causes of persistent hiccups is baclofen, with metoclopramide recommended as the first choice for peripheral causes. Midazolam may be useful in cases of terminal illness.

How do I stop the hiccups from dexamethasone?

Conservative treatment was given intravenously by an initial 10 mg dose of dexamethasone followed by 5 mg every 6 h for 3 days. One hour after injection, the hiccups started and resolved a few hours later without any treatment. Then, after the patient received each single dose of dexamethasone, hiccups occurred.

How do I stop dexamethasone induced hiccups?

The hiccups only stopped following discontinuation of the dexamethasone. It should be noted that low dose of dexamethasone was used. Management of dexamethasone induced hiccups involves discontinuation of the drug, steroid rotation if the patient is steroid dependent and use of metoclopramide and chlorpromazine.

Can antacids stop hiccups?

Examples of medication treatments for hiccups include: Chlorpromazine to help relax the diaphragm. Antacid medicines, such as omeprazole or ranitidine, metoclopramide to help the stomach empty faster.

What drugs cause hiccups?

Medications have also been thought to be associated with or cause persistent/intractable hiccups. Many of them are used in the treatment of cancer. Chemotherapy agents include cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, carboplatin, docetaxel, paclitaxel, etoposide, gemcitabine, vindesine, and vinorelbine. Of these, cisplatin is the most frequently described ...

How to cure hiccups?

There are many folk remedies for hiccups such as breath-holding, the Valsalva maneuver, acupuncture, rubbing the palate or pharynx with cotton swabs, biting a lemon, breathing into a paper bag, digital rectal massage, eating a spoonful of peanut butter or sugar, and many others.

What is the hiccup reflex?

The hiccup reflex is composed of the afferent pathway (through the vagal and phrenic nerves and the sympathetic chain), the central hiccup center (in the hypothalamus), and the efferent pathway (through the phrenic nerve to the diaphragm and the accessory nerves to the intercostal muscles).

How much tid for hiccups?

The usual dose for this indication is 25 mg TID for a few days. Baclofen is another agent repurposed for the treatment of hiccups. It is a GABA derivative, more commonly used in the treatment of muscle spasms. The usual side effects include sedation, hypotonia, confusion, headache, and nausea/vomiting.

How long does it take for hiccups to stop?

However, some patients may experience prolonged hiccupping periods of greater than 48 hours (persistent or chronic) or greater than 2 months (intractable).

Does dexamethasone cause hiccups?

Of these medications, dexamethasone has been reported most frequent as a causative agent in persistent/intractable hiccups. There are several case reports of patients developing prolonged hiccups after chemotherapy administration, including dexamethasone.

Can cancer cause hiccups?

Prolonged hiccups seen in patients with cancer seem to be more common in men than in women, and in older patients compared to younger patients. Prolonged hiccups can have many undesir able consequences.

What does it mean when you have hiccups?

feeling sick (nausea) embarrassment. feeling sad or depressed. People with persistent or intractable hiccups need medical treatment. First, your doctor will try to find out what is causing your hiccups. They may disappear by treating the cause, for example, changing the drugs that may be responsible for the hiccups.

What causes hiccups in the neck?

Things that might trigger hiccups include: eating and drinking too quickly, particularly gulping fizzy drinks. over eating. heartburn. stress. sudden changes in air temperature. over stretching your neck. certain drugs, such as medicines to treat anxiety (benzodiazepines) alcohol.

What is a hiccup?

Hiccups are uncontrolled spasms of your diaphragm between normal breaths. The diaphragm is the dome shaped muscle under your ribcage. Normally, your diaphragm helps to pull air into your lungs by pulling downwards as you breathe in. And when you breathe out, your diaphragm pushes upwards.

What do doctors call persistent hiccups?

Doctors call these persistent hiccups. If they last longer than a month, doctors call them intractable. If they last this long they can cause other problems, including: People with persistent or intractable hiccups need medical treatment. First, your doctor will try to find out what is causing your hiccups.

What is the best medicine for hiccups?

But your doctor may treat the hiccups directly. Drugs they may use include: the anti sickness drug metoclopramide (Maxolon) a sedative, such as haloperidol or chlorpromazine. a drug to relax your muscles such as baclofen. Find out about managing other cancer symptoms.

How to get rid of hiccups?

Things to try for mild hiccups. Most people find that their hiccups go away either on their own or by trying one of the following suggestions: gargling or drinking ice water. eating a piece of dry bread slowly. drinking water from the far side of a glass – you will need to be able to bend over to do this.

Can cancer cause hiccups?

People with cancer can get them for a number of reasons but it is not a common problem. Hiccups usually go away on their own but there are some things you can try. If hiccups carry on for a couple of days they can be difficult to cope with. Tell your doctor as you might need treatment.

Effects of prolonged hiccups on the patient having cancer

Prolonged or persistent may have undesirable effects. These may include:

Plausible causes of persistent hiccups

Many conditions are thought to be the cause of this problem including low levels of calcium, sodium, and potassium, alcohol intake, sudden strokes, head injuries, and many more but the exact cause is still not verified.

Treatments for mild hiccups

There are no medical treatments for treating hiccups as these are temporary and get away easily without treatment. Many old and home remedies for hiccups are said to be efficient but may not work on the patient having persistent hiccups, these remedies include:

Treatments for persistent hiccups

Other treatments include Chlorpromazine, Chlorpromazine is a dimethylamine derivative of phenothiazine. It acts peripherally by dopamine antagonism in the hypothalamus. It is the only medication approved for the treatment of hiccups by the US Food and Drug Administration, and for many years it has been in use.

FAQS on Hiccups in Cancer Patients?

Your doctors would be the best expert to help treat the hiccups directly based on your condition. The most common medication for treating hiccups in cancer patients would be the anti-sickness drug metoclopramide (Maxolon) or a sedative such as haloperidol or chlorpromazine.

How long do hiccups last?

Hiccups generally are self-limiting and of short duration. Those lasting more than 48 h or recurring at frequent intervals are termed persistent. There are numerous causes of hiccups, with medications implicated only rarely. While hiccups are usually benign, severe attacks may lead to exhaustion, eating difficulties, and affect quality of life.

Can dexamethasone cause hiccups?

A number of case reports have linked corticosteroids, particularly dexamethasone, to the occurrence of hiccups. Antineoplastic agents have occasionally been reported as causing hiccups; however, in most of these cases, corticosteroids, as part of the treatment protocol or as antiemetics, may have been a more likely cause.

Can chemotherapy cause hiccups?

Those lasting more than 48 h or recurring at frequent intervals are termed persistent. There are numerous causes of hiccups, with medications implicated only rarely.

Can hiccups cause cancer?

While hiccups are usually benign, severe attacks may lead to exhaustion, eating difficulties, and affect quality of life. We report a case of severe hiccups in a patient receiving chemotherapy (oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin) for metastatic colorectal cancer.

How to stop hiccups from chemotherapy?

Also try putting 1 tsp. of table sugar in your mouth, holding it for a moment and then swallowing it.

What is the procedure to stop hiccups?

Undergo a procedure called a cervical phrenic nerve block. The cervical and phrenic nerves control the diaphragm; the nerve block reduces the irritation and inflammation of the nerves that are causing the hiccups.

What is the best medicine for hiccups?

Ask your doctor about the possibility of taking a drug called Gabapentin to relieve your chemo-induced hiccups. CancerPoints reports that some oncologists have found success with this medication. Gabapentin is a drug that is generally prescribed to treat a form of nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy. Undergo a procedure called ...

How long does it take for a nerve block to stop hiccups?

The August 2002 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reports that a nerve block of this kind successfully stopped chemotherapy-induced hiccups as quickly as within 5 minutes in some patients. Erica Roth has been a writer since 2007.

Can corticosteroid medication cause hiccups?

CancerPoints, an online information resource for cancer patients and their loved ones, explains that some corticosteroid drugs that relieve nausea can lead to episodes of hiccups. Adjusting your medication dose or switching to a new drug at your doctor's discretion might eliminate your problem.

Can chemotherapy cause hiccups?

Chemotherapy, a regimen of powerful drugs used to treat cancer, can cause a variety of side effects, from nausea and vomiting to hair loss. Hiccups are another side effect of chemotherapy that affects some people, particularly those who take anti-nausea medications.

What causes hiccups in the abdomen?

Hiccups: What causes them. Hiccups are caused by involuntary contractions of your diaphragm — the muscle that separates your chest from your abdomen and plays an important role in breathing. This involuntary contraction causes your vocal cords to close very briefly, which produces the characteristic sound of a hiccup.

What muscle is involved in hiccups?

Hiccups are involuntary contractions of the diaphragm — the muscle that separates your chest from your abdomen and plays an important role in breathing. Each contraction is followed by a sudden closure of your vocal cords, which produces the characteristic "hic" sound.

How long do hiccups last?

In some cases, hiccups may be a sign of an underlying medical condition. For most people, a bout of hiccups usually lasts only a few minutes. Rarely, hiccups may persist for months. This can result in weight loss and exhaustion.

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