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Hiccup Sounds (reverse hiccups)

I am 22 years old, and for the past 3 years I've experienced what my friends call "reverse hiccups" about   30-40 times a day. It's similar to a hiccup, except much louder. It often sounds like a gasp, and ranges from being quiet ones I can muffle to loud ones that stop everyone in the room. Sometimes I can feel it coming, and make it stop completely, other times it suprises me just as much as those around me. (Sometimes I can feel it coming, try to stop it, and it happens anyway). They can be extremely loud, and very embarrasing. They sound very odd, and I havn't met anyone else with anything similar/similar symptoms. I'm often accused by my parents / friends / teachers of doing it on purpose to 'try to be funny' or 'get attention', but it is honestly something I cannot control (beyond somtimes being able to stifle them).
I used to think it was related to stress, as it seemed to happen more often in certain environments (The first year it happened most often during classes/work, it now primarily occurs in social settings or when I'm talking to someone). It does not seem to correlate to or have any patterns to any foods, and I'm not experiencing any acid reflux (which is what my father now thinks it is now that he believes I'm not doing these on purpose).
Does anyone have any information? I asked my doctor about it, but she hadn't heard of such a thing and doesn't seem concerned.
18 Responses
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Avatar universal
Get a detailed analyses of your lungs sounds like lungs are having gases trapped which it expels under certain conditions accrue  look at your environment . Any item that can emit fumes .
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Avatar universal
I have the reverse feeling hiccups. My doctor diagnosed me at 13 with chronic hiccups. I am now 36. I get them everyday and all throughout. They did scans and tests and they have no idea. They used to be so bad and close together with the rhythm of “normal” hiccups but loud. I always tell people it’s like in reverse or feels like throwing up in reverse!! My cousin who is 6 years younger and we have never lived in the same state also has the same condition
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Avatar universal
I have the same thing I’ve had it since I was little. (My whole life) Nobody seems to understand it. I’ve been to doctors and they don’t understand either.
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Avatar universal
I know you posted this a decade ago, but if you somehow get this notification then all the better. I am 23 and I've been getting those hiccups for quite awhile. I'm the only one in my family who gets them and while no one thinks I'm doing it on purpose they do find it extremely funny.

Laughing, they'll tell me to stop 'squawking'.

Something I've noticed. When I 'squawk' my whole chest jerks inward (similar to trying to force oneself to burp). While normal hiccups tend to be higher in the throat.

My brother thinks it has to do with breathing the hiccup in, instead of out?

I don't know. It's just something I have to deal with.
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1 Comments
This happens to me!! I've been having them periodically for a while now and never understood what was going on they hurt sometimes when it happens but my chest jerkes inward and I've learned to keep my mouth closed but that's when it hurts the worst is when my mouth is closed
Avatar universal
hi, I have the exact same thing. However, its only when I haven't taken my medication for acid reflux. Speak to your GP if you haven't already. They may just say take Gaviscon advanced and/or prescribe you omeprazole or something like that. Again this all depends on how severe your symptoms are and also depends if you have acid reflux in the first place.  stay safe!!
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Avatar universal
I'm having the pterodactyl (or hawk) squawking noise, involuntary.  Last week I was having chest pains.  (Not heart related after much testing.)   It's not something I can control like a sneeze would give me time for a tissue.  This just happens very loud and may involve squeezing of the chest feeling.  I may try cranial adjustments as suggested above by someone.  I've had GERD for years and because of the RX now have Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease.  (Have your GFR checked asap.)  I just had Br. Cancer for a second time in 10 years; after years of GERD RXs.  (The RXs now found to cause cancer.)  OMG.  If anyone knows a solution please post here.  I'm doing on-line research (peer-reviewed too).  On another thread someone called this "diaphragm from spasms."    I had to stop all medicine but solved the acid reflux by eating my last meal at lunch.  I can sleep laying flat now and it's well worth it.  
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Avatar universal
My daughter started with this about 2 years ago.  I took her to the doctor who suggested acid reflux meds.  When I asked what we should do if that did not work she said she could refer us to the hospital for them to have a laugh.  At its peak, she was doing these things 50-60 times a day, all through her GCSE exams.  We didn't think it was funny.  Having gone to a Chiropractor with no results, we were given the contact details of a Craniosacral Therapist.  The results were amazing - after the first session we had a quiet week - only 5 or so quite "hiccup gasps" as day.  The second week wasn't so impressive with two good days followed by the remainder of the week being around the 10 a day mark. Still better.  We then went on holiday and by the end of the 2nd week we ended up with the paramedics called out due to her chest being so tight she couldn't breath.  Tests showed nothing.  The GP the following day could find nothing. The next day, she had her next Craniosacral Therapy session and went to around 4-5 quiet ones a day. She had her 5th session 10 days ago.  I haven't heard a single one since.  I'm just hoping it stays....  Any explanation?  Not really, just that it is possibly brain stem/nerve related.  Might be worth a try if you're still suffering?
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6 Comments
Wow, that's so interesting.  I had cranial sacral work for a chronic injury related issue and it is almost a 'mystic' experience.  Hard to explain.  How old is your daughter?  I'm shocked that a doctor would say to go to the hospital for a laugh.  Pretty insensitive in my opinion. So, the acid reflux meds didn't work?  You never said but I guess since it's been going on a long time, it didn't.  Let us know if she continues to be symptom free!  
She's now 16.  The acid reflux meds didn't work.  I'll keep you posted.
Yes, please do!  I'm following and would love updates!
It has now been 5 weeks and still quite.  A couple of days ago, she did ask when her next treatment is as her chest is beginning to feel a little tighter and we do have an appointment for next week.  I think we'll just keep top up appointments booked every couple of months as reassurance for her.
We’ve been searching for a treatment for my daughter’s hiccups. She’s 18 and has an average of 50 a day.  Can you tell me more about the Craniosacral therapy.
She had a relapse between February and April and was getting worse again, so we took her back for treatment and had two appointments a week apart.  What is causing it is a mystery but
We're back to peace and quiet.  Essentially the lady "feels" for tension in the body through the feet and then addresses the issues she detects.  It is a very gentle treatment and as I understand it relieves tension in the diaphram /digestive system/neck etc to ensure that the body's natural rhythm is working and the nerves are not compromised. Take a look at https://www.craniosacral.co.uk/ I would not have believes that something so gentle could make such a difference!
Avatar universal
I just breathe in till it's gone and it stops it.
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1 Comments
It sounds like you're are talking about normal hiccups. Hiccup-gasps are something totally different and are not caused by a spasm of the diaphragm and cannot be treated by the normal hiccup method.
Avatar universal
I've had these loud hiccups for 2 years now. I tried to explain it to a doctor but they just laughed and said it will be fine.
People at work make jokes about calling in a bird catcher and there's a youtube compilation of me doing it called the ptherodactyl. I think it's funny.
I went on a gluten and dairy free diet for a week and i only did it once all week. Maybe it has something to do with the type or amount of food you're eating.
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3 Comments
I have this symptom/hiccup thing too! My doctor didn't seem to care and told me to take tums. His lack of interest made me ignore his advice, so I never tried it. I just live with it. But I'm so curious what it is. My boyfriend also calls me a pterodactyl!!! Bahahaha! :'D because of the squaking type of sound I make. I would say it's once or twice a day for me, and only other symptom is light chest pain a few times a week. The chest pain doesn't happen with the squaking tho.
hi Cseazilla, hope you've got this sorted now! This strikes me as acid reflux specially with the light chest pain in your chest. I only say this as I have the exact same thing,  you speak to your GP about this so what she/he has to say about. tbh GP's are great but they are generally practitioners so they don't know as much about the throat, chest and stomach as say an ENT or Vocal Therapist would. Hope this helps? Stay safe and hope you get better soon?!!
My husband and sons laugh and say I'm crowing like a crow.  I can't help it.  Sometimes it feels like my hiccups are coming deep down and sometimes hurt.  My son has put my "hiccups" on his YouTube channel.  I guess if it makes people laugh it's OK, but in reality...it's embarrassing.  They are exactly like you described though.   Here is his link:  Hiccupoutloud1
Avatar universal
Yes, I've had these about 5-6 years myself. My wife always says they're belches/burps but they are never accompanied by a smell, so we've had endless arguments about what they are...hence finding this thread :)

They almost always come completely by surprise, but do seem to happen more at night or morning.

I do snore, though I have now noticed my 14 year old daughter has them as well (and she is not a snorer)



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Avatar universal
yeah it is very embarrassing my reverse hiccups can be heard a block and half away maybe even further, they sound like a hawk. i sometimes get stomach acid that comes up also.
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10977101 tn?1414278994
i have the same problem too! they get so loud it hurts my chest sometimes! and its very embarrassing  when i am in class or at work and people look at me like i am an alien or something. i have no idea why it happens. i was diganosed with GERD and IBS at 17 years old and sometimes when i get these reverse hiccups stomach acid comes up and sometimes when it happens again no stomach acid.  my dad's friend who is a heart surgeon asked me if i snored in my sleep when he heard me do those hiccups and i said yes. he never really got back to me about it lol. but you are not alone. my dad would make fun of me saying shes calling the mother ship! hahaha
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Avatar universal
I have had these backwards hiccups for several years, with no other symptoms at all..My granny used to have them, and I remember making fun of her thinking that she was doing them on purpose, and now to my surprise, they weren't on purpose and it's frustrating, because now, everyone else thinks that I do them on purpose, when I can't stop them.
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Avatar universal
So I've had these "reverse hiccups" for a solid 5 years, my best friend has them, her aunt has them, and they've slowly "spread" to other closer friends. We call them meeps; anyways doctors haven't found anything physically wrong with us (no acid reflux issues, lungs problems, anything you might think would attribute to it). They're exactly like what everyone else is describing, a hiccup except its like your body is gasping and you make a weird noise. I have no clue if they're something to be worried about but the fact that my friends are now getting it (and their friends) concerns me a little...if anyone has any ideas on what this is that would be great.
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Avatar universal
i have it too!!its crazy---sounds like a big grunt!!--had it for many months--hope it goes soon
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Avatar universal
Thank you so much.  My symptoms exactly.  My wife has accused me of faking this as well.  This turned the table around and made my weekend!
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2682061 tn?1339808312
Buy a bag of jolly rancher candies. When you have a reverse hiccup allow one Jolly Rancher candy to dissolve in your mouth until the hiccup stops.
Works everytime for me.
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Avatar universal
I have exactly the same symptoms yet your post is the only one that was returned in Google.  My reverse hiccups started a good 10 months before the onset of severe Acid Reflux so I would see your Doctor any try to circumvent the inevitable.

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