Symptoms - Hiccups

The characteristic sound of a hiccup, sometimes preceded by a small tightening sensation in your chest, abdomen or throat, are the only signs and symptoms associated with hiccups. People may have as few as four hiccups a minute or, rarely, as many as 60 hiccups a minute.

How long your hiccup episode lasts determines the type of hiccups you have:

Transient or acute hiccups. This is the most common form of hiccups. Transient hiccups include hiccup episodes that last less than 48 hours. Most bouts of transient hiccups last only a few minutes.

Persistent hiccups. These hiccups last longer than 48 hours, but less than a month.

Intractable hiccups. Hiccups fall into this category when they last more than two months.