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Diseases & Conditions
Can stress trigger hiccups?
- By Toni Golen, MD, Contributor, and
- Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch
Ask the doctors
Q. Annoyingly, I seem to get the hiccups when I’m tense, nervous, or surprised. What’s the link?
A. Hiccups are one of those unwelcome visitors that always make us stop and wonder where they came from. Often, these spasms of our diaphragm — the muscle separating the chest and belly — are traceable to swallowing air while eating, chewing gum, drinking fizzy beverages, or taking certain medications.
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About the Authors
Toni Golen, MD, Contributor
Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch
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