According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, what are the causes of frequent hiccups?

Dec 10, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Sun Lianqing

Introduction

Frequent hiccups are known as "hiccough" (e'ni) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The primary causes include irregular diet, emotional imbalance, spleen and stomach deficiency, external invasion of cold pathogen, and stagnation of qi. It is mostly related to abnormal ascending and descending functions of the spleen and stomach, leading to rebellious stomach qi that activates the diaphragm. If hiccups persist for more than 24 hours or are accompanied by abdominal pain and vomiting, prompt medical attention is necessary. Irregular diet: overeating, or excessive consumption of raw, cold, or spicy foods.

Frequent hiccups are known as "hiccough" (eh ni) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The core causes include irregular diet, emotional imbalance, spleen and stomach deficiency, external invasion of cold pathogens, and stagnation of qi. These factors are mostly related to abnormal ascending and descending functions of the spleen and stomach, leading to upward rebellion of stomach qi affecting the diaphragm. If hiccups persist for more than 24 hours or are accompanied by abdominal pain and vomiting, prompt medical attention is necessary.

1. Irregular Diet: Overeating or excessive consumption of raw, cold, or spicy foods damages the digestive function of the spleen and stomach, causing food stagnation in the middle jiao. This prevents stomach qi from descending properly, resulting in hiccups, often accompanied by bloating and belching.

2. Emotional Imbalance: Prolonged anxiety, depression, or sudden outbursts of anger can lead to liver-qi stagnation that invades and disrupts the spleen, impairing the normal ascending and descending movements of qi in the spleen and stomach. This causes rebellious stomach qi and hiccups, which typically worsen after emotional fluctuations.

3. Spleen and Stomach Deficiency: Constitutional weakness of the spleen and stomach, or prolonged illness depleting their yang energy, leads to weakened transformation and transportation functions, disrupting the normal flow of qi. As a result, stomach qi rises abnormally and triggers the diaphragm, causing frequent, weak, and recurrent hiccups with low volume.

4. External Cold Invasion: When cold pathogens attack the spleen and stomach, they cause cold accumulation and qi stagnation, obstructing the normal movement of qi. This leads to rebellious stomach qi and hiccups, often accompanied by aversion to cold, preference for warmth, and cold pain in the stomach region.

5. Qi Stagnation: Various factors may impair the smooth flow of qi in the body, disrupting the ascending and descending functions of the spleen and stomach. This results in blocked and rising stomach qi affecting the diaphragm, causing hiccups, possibly accompanied by chest tightness and distension in the hypochondriac region.

Treatment focuses on regulating the spleen and stomach and harmonizing the stomach to direct qi downward. Differentiated patterns may be treated with appropriate herbal decoctions or acupuncture at points such as Zusanli (ST36). For care, maintain regular eating habits and avoid raw, cold, and spicy foods; keep emotions balanced; and engage in light physical activity after meals to support digestion and qi circulation.

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