Cancer Health

Hiccups are annoying, and the home remedies for an attack of hiccups range from holding your breath to breathing intoa paper bag — to being startled — to swallowing a spoonful of sugar. I could go on in remedies thought to work. Buthiccups were never a medical concern before today.

According to Professor Tom Walsh, a researcher at JamesConnolly Memorial Hospital in Dublin, persistent hiccupping in addition to weight loss and difficulty swallowing couldbe a warningsign of cancer of the esophagus. In fact, six percent of patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer went to see adoctor because of hiccups. Over 25 percent of patients reported problematic hiccupping prior to cancer diagnosis. Iknow — your thinking thanks for that — one more thing to worry about. But I say that the weight loss anddifficulty swallowing are going to be far greater indicators of a medical problem than the ever so common hiccup.