Korean J Pain.  2005 Dec;18(2):222-225. 10.3344/kjp.2005.18.2.222.

Treatment of Persistent Hiccups with a Single Session of Gabapentin Therapy: A report of 2 cases

• You SH
• Kim CS
• Kim BH
• Seo HJ
• Kang KS

• KMID: 2277994
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2005.18.2.222

Abstract

Hiccups are due to an intermittent clonic spasm of the diaphragm. In most cases, hiccups are self-limiting disease, but persistent hiccups may be related to the presence of serious underlying systemic disease. Two patients who had persistent hiccups that were not controled by conventional methods and medications were referred to the pain clinic. We administered a single oral medication of gabapentin, and then the hiccups disappeared in both cases. We concluded that gabapentin should be considered as an alternative therapy to control persistent or intractable hiccup. It could be particularly useful for those patients with solid malignancies, either alone or as an "add-on therapy" with other oral agents.

Keyword

gabapentin; persistent hiccups

MeSH Terms

Diaphragm
Hiccup*
Humans
Pain Clinics
Spasm