Hiccups are usually a benign condition but if intractable or recurrent can cause discomfort and anxiety.
Intractable or constant hiccups are rare. They are usually due to irritation of the diaphragm, a large flat muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen. Irritation of the nerve innervating the diaphragm or inflammation of the lung or the lining of the lung are often the causes of the problem. Other causes of intractable hiccups relate to irritation of the abdominal side of the diaphragm. For example, gastric inflammation, stretching of the stomach or irritation of the esophagus are causes of hiccups .
Patients with intractable hiccups require a chest x-ray and upper endoscopy to look for the various causes described above. Sometimes a CT scan is needed if the problem is particularly severe. My husband has constant hiccups. Iif he has like above how do you fix it, surgery?