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Accupuncture for Hiccups

Most commonly caused by excessive swallowing of air, hiccups are involuntary spasms of the diaphragm that cause the glottis to close, creating the signature sound of hiccups. Most hiccups resolve themselves within a few minutes, but chronic hiccups can be damaging over a long period of time.

  1. Causes of Hiccups

    • Some of the many ways hiccups are caused include swallowing large amounts of air such as when eating, irritation to the respiratory or digestive system, or post surgery. Hiccups can even be caused by emotional distress.

    Acupuncture Theology

    • Hiccups result from a reversed Qi in the stomach meridian. Reverting the Qi back to its original upward movement through acupuncture treatment stops the hiccups.

    Acupoints

    • The two acupuncture points for hiccups are the Zhongwan, with twelve needles inserted perpendicularly on the upper abdomen, and the Danzhong, with seventeen perpendicularly on the chest between the nipples.

    Surgery, Hiccups and Acupuncture

    • Intractable hiccups are a common side effect of surgery. In a study in China, treatment with acupuncture of 60 craniocerebral surgery patients suffering from hiccups over a period of two weeks had a 98.3 percent success rate, according to TCM Discovery Net.

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