Causes of Hiccups That Won't Stop

Hiccups are one of the world's most common and harmless medical maladies. The hiccup is an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm. This comes from a variety of sources, such as the consumption of alcohol, eating spicy foods or inhaling noxious fumes. Sometimes, however, hiccups can be a result of something more serious. Particularly when you have hiccups that won't stop, you may want to consider whether your hiccups are a manifestation of something more serious.

Strokes and Tumors

• Hiccups that won't stop aren't a sign that you are about to have a stroke. Rather, uncontrollable and prolonged hiccups may result from a stroke. This is particularly true if the part of your brain affected by the stroke controls the diaphragm or nearby areas of the stomach. Similar to a stroke, you may also experience prolonged hiccups after any traumatic injury to the brain that affects the "hiccup center."

  Similarly -- and perhaps more disturbingly -- your hiccups may be the sign of a brain tumor. This works in the same manner as a stroke. If you have a tumor in an area that controls muscles responsible for hiccups, it may cause hiccups that won't stop. Tumors in the neck may also cause prolonged hiccups.

Surgery Complication

• You can develop long-term hiccups as a complication from abdominal surgery. This is a result of the surgery irritating nerves that cause the diaphragm to contract. Prolonged hiccups as a complication from surgery can be potentially serious. The spastic motion of the diaphragm area during hiccups can make healing surgical wounds difficult, as the motion continually opens old wounds.

  You don't need to have had a recent surgery to irritate the nerves around the diaphragm. Similar irritation may be caused by liver disease, pneumonia, kidney failure or any number of lung disorders.

Meningitis and Encephalitis

• Meningitis and encephalitis may cause prolonged hiccups. This is for the same reason as strokes, brain tumors and other traumatic brain injuries. The diseases effect the brain, meaning that they can specifically effect the "hiccup center."

Assorted Nerve Irritations

• Besides more alarming causes, such as brain tumors, there are a number of more-mundane assorted nerve irritations that may cause hiccups that won't stop. Sore throats and laryngitis can irritate the diaphragm. Cysts and goiters of the neck also cause prolonged hiccups, as does a hair or anything else in your ear that touches the ear drum. According to the Mayo Clinic, these are the most common causes of hiccups that won't stop.