Acupuncture Therapy Rapidly Terminates Intractable Hiccups
Acupuncture Therapy Rapidly Terminates Intractable Hiccups
Acupuncture is a well-known alternative therapy in practice worldwide. Its dramatic effect on hiccups has been rarely reported. We describe a 77-year-old male who had hiccups after an acute myocardial infarction. Despite aggressive treatment including breath-holding to interrupt the respiratory rhythm, continuous positive airway pressure, and medication with metoclopramine, prochlorperazine, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, mephenesin, diphenylhydantoin, baclofen, and phenobarbital, the hiccups persisted for 7 days. Eventually, the hiccups were rapidly terminated by acupuncture at acupoint GV14 (Da zhui). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of acupuncture's reversing intractable hiccups after an acute myocardial infarction. Acupuncture may be considered for patients with hiccups refractory to conventional therapy.
Hiccups are intermittent, abrupt, involuntary contractions of the diaphragm resulting in sudden inspiration abruptly opposed by closure of the glottis. The diaphragmatic contraction is often unilateral, occurring more often on the left side. Most hiccups occur as brief, self-limited episodes lasting only for a few seconds or minutes but sometimes may last for prolonged periods (> 48 hours), interfering with rest, sleep, and eating and causing fatigue, exhaustion, depression, and on occasion, death. In addition to treating underlying disorders, there are numerous methods to quell hiccups. Nevertheless, hiccups may be persistent despite a variety of therapeutic modalities.
In this report, we describe a 77-year-old patient who had intractable hiccups after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Ultimately, the hiccups were terminated by direct traditional acupuncture at acupoint GV14 (Da zhui), located at the interspinal space between C7-T1 (Fig. 1).
(Enlarge Image)
Schematic diagram shows common acupoints used for treatment of hiccups.1, GV 14; 2, PC 6; 3, CV 12; 4, ST 36; 5, BL 17; 6, BL 20; 7, BL 21; 8, CV22; 9, LR 14.
Acupuncture is a well-known alternative therapy in practice worldwide. Its dramatic effect on hiccups has been rarely reported. We describe a 77-year-old male who had hiccups after an acute myocardial infarction. Despite aggressive treatment including breath-holding to interrupt the respiratory rhythm, continuous positive airway pressure, and medication with metoclopramine, prochlorperazine, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, mephenesin, diphenylhydantoin, baclofen, and phenobarbital, the hiccups persisted for 7 days. Eventually, the hiccups were rapidly terminated by acupuncture at acupoint GV14 (Da zhui). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of acupuncture's reversing intractable hiccups after an acute myocardial infarction. Acupuncture may be considered for patients with hiccups refractory to conventional therapy.
Hiccups are intermittent, abrupt, involuntary contractions of the diaphragm resulting in sudden inspiration abruptly opposed by closure of the glottis. The diaphragmatic contraction is often unilateral, occurring more often on the left side. Most hiccups occur as brief, self-limited episodes lasting only for a few seconds or minutes but sometimes may last for prolonged periods (> 48 hours), interfering with rest, sleep, and eating and causing fatigue, exhaustion, depression, and on occasion, death. In addition to treating underlying disorders, there are numerous methods to quell hiccups. Nevertheless, hiccups may be persistent despite a variety of therapeutic modalities.
In this report, we describe a 77-year-old patient who had intractable hiccups after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Ultimately, the hiccups were terminated by direct traditional acupuncture at acupoint GV14 (Da zhui), located at the interspinal space between C7-T1 (Fig. 1).
(Enlarge Image)
Schematic diagram shows common acupoints used for treatment of hiccups.1, GV 14; 2, PC 6; 3, CV 12; 4, ST 36; 5, BL 17; 6, BL 20; 7, BL 21; 8, CV22; 9, LR 14.
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