{"id":750324,"date":"2026-06-20T22:26:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T22:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/750324\/"},"modified":"2026-06-20T22:26:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T22:26:13","slug":"hiccups-can-be-a-warning-sign-of-a-stroke-heres-how-to-tell-if-theyre-serious","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/750324\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiccups Can Be A Warning Sign Of A Stroke. Here’s How To Tell If They’re Serious."},"content":{"rendered":"

As hard as it can be to admit, you can have a stroke<\/a>. Your loved one can have a stroke. Statistically<\/a>, someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds; every 3 minutes and 14 seconds, someone dies of a stroke. It\u2019s not a concern to ruminate on, per se, but one to be mindful of. <\/p>\n

For example, you might avoid habits that can increase the risk<\/a>, such as being sedentary, smoking, ignoring health concerns and drinking alcohol. Knowing the clear signs of a stroke \u2014 illustrated by the BE FAST acronym<\/a> \u2014 is smart, too. BE FAST stands for (problems with) balance, eyesight, facial drooping, arm weakness, speech and time or terrible headache. <\/p>\n

However, there\u2019s also a super random, surprising sign of a stroke that many people don\u2019t know, according to vascular surgeons: hiccups. <\/p>\n

Ahead, experts explain how hiccups can be a sign of a stroke, other commonly missed signs and when to see the doctor about this seemingly \u201charmless\u201d symptom.<\/p>\n

How Hiccups Can Signal A Stroke<\/p>\n

To understand why hiccups can be a sign of a stroke, it\u2019s important to understand exactly what hiccups are \u2014 particularly, how they\u2019re connected to the brain.<\/p>\n

\u201cHiccups are caused by involuntary contractions of the diaphragm, coordinated by a reflex arc involving the brainstem, particularly the medulla,\u201d said Dr. Christopher Yi<\/a>, a board-certified vascular surgeon at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. \u201cIn rare cases, a stroke affecting this region \u2014 most classically a lateral medullary (Wallenburg) stroke \u2014 can disrupt that reflex and trigger persistent hiccups.\u201d<\/p>\n

Usually, hiccups<\/a> aren\u2019t so concerning. You might get them after eating too fast, moving too quickly after eating or drinking a carbonated beverage. But if a stroke in the brainstem is causing the hiccups, they need to be taken more seriously. <\/p>\n

\u201cIn rare cases, hiccups can be linked to a stroke \u2014 specifically a stroke affecting the brainstem,\u201d said Dr. Adeel Popalzai<\/a>, a vascular neurologist and stroke program director at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center. \u201cThe brainstem is involved in the hiccup reflex pathway. When a stroke disrupts this area, it can cause persistent, uncontrollable hiccups that don\u2019t respond to usual remedies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yi affirmed that persistent hiccups have been documented in posterior circulation strokes, which affect the back of the brain. They also don\u2019t always cause one-sided weakness (a classic symptom of a stroke) and rather present with more subtle symptoms. This makes hiccups an early and arguably clearer clue, especially when present with other neurologic abnormalities.<\/p>\n

That last piece is vital because otherwise, a lot of us would get unnecessarily nervous when we get the hiccups, right?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is important to remember that hiccups alone are almost never a stroke, but persistent hiccups with other symptoms can be a warning sign,\u201d Popalzai stressed.<\/p>\n

\"Strokes<\/p>\n

Witthaya Prasongsin via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Strokes are better managed the earlier you get medical attention.<\/p>\n

Other Commonly Missed Signs Of A Stroke<\/p>\n

Hiccups aren\u2019t the only symptom of a stroke that often goes ignored, especially with posterior circulation strokes. <\/p>\n

\u201cMany people expect a stroke to look dramatic, but some of the most dangerous strokes \u2014 especially those in the back of the brain \u2014 can present with subtle or misleading symptoms,\u201d Popalzai warned.<\/p>\n

The vascular surgeons listed the following symptoms: <\/p>\n

Sudden dizziness, vertigo or a spinning sensationTrouble walking, or loss of balance or coordination, which can look like clumsiness, intoxication, veering to one side, difficulty standing or coordinating movements and generalized weaknessVisual disturbances, such as double vision, trouble focusing or loss of part of the visual fieldDifficulty swallowingA sudden, severe headache<\/a> (particularly in hemorrhagic strokes) \u2014 it can signal a brain bleedNausea and vomiting, especially when combined with dizziness or imbalanceSudden confusion or trouble understanding, which can present as difficulty processing information or following a conversation, and may appear as disorientation or memory trouble<\/p>\n

\u201cThese symptoms are often missed because they don\u2019t fit the \u2018classic\u2019 stroke picture, but they are just as important,\u201d Popalzai said.<\/p>\n

When To Go To The Doctor About Hiccups or Other Stroke Symptoms<\/p>\n

Since hiccups are usually no big deal (well, other than being super annoying), how do you know when you\u2019ve got a normal bout of the hiccups versus a stroke? <\/p>\n

According to Yi, consider medical evaluation \u201cwhen they persist for more than 48 hours, become severe or disruptive or occur in conjunction with neurologic symptoms.\u201d Examples of the latter are the same as above: dizziness, vertigo, difficulty walking, imbalance, double vision, slurred speech and trouble swallowing<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Popalzai agreed it\u2019s best to focus on the context and associated symptoms. He encouraged calling 911 immediately if you or a loved one experiences those signs. Additionally, having a stroke risk factor, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, smoking or a prior stroke, is also a reason to call the doctor ASAP. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen symptoms are sudden and unusual, it\u2019s always better to err on the side of caution and seek medical attention,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Yi emphasized the timely nature. \u201cWhen hiccups present suddenly with any of these neurologic findings, the situation should be treated as a potential stroke emergency, and immediate medical attention is warranted, as timely intervention can significantly improve outcomes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The bottom line is that while most hiccups are harmless, they can signal a stroke when accompanied by other brain-related symptoms. Don\u2019t let an unexpected sign of a stroke convince you that a stroke isn\u2019t at play. Take it all seriously. <\/p>\n

\u201cActing fast can save brain function, independence and life,\u201d Popalzai said.<\/p>\n

The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As hard as it can be to admit, you can have a stroke. Your loved one can have…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":750325,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[49,48,84,12078],"class_list":["post-750324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-health","tag-stroke"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/750324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=750324"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/750324\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/750325"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=750324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=750324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=750324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}