A 27-year-old self-employed tattoo artist has been suffering from an unusual condition ever since she got pregnant in 2008.
Believe it or not, Lisa Graves has hiccuped up to 100 times a day for almost eight years, The Daily Mail UK reports.
PHOTO CREDIT: thesun.co.uk
Since becoming pregnant with her daughter Emily, Graves began showing symptoms of her peculiar illness. Doctors initially thought Graves’ pregnancy caused the unusual bout of hiccups.
But her irritating problem wasn’t resolved even after giving birth to Emily and having a second daughter in 2012.
Even after seeking medical help and undergoing numerous tests and procedures including gastroscopy, Graves was unable to find the cause or cure for her ailment.
Because doctors are unable to help her, Graves resorted to trying natural home remedies. This includes drinking water backwards and eating honey. Sadly, none of these improved her state.
Now, she hiccups every hour without a fail. According to Graves, her family is so used to her condition that they hardly notice her hiccups anymore.
“But my family don’t notice it anymore, for my daughters I’ve hiccupped their whole lives so they don’t even bat an eye-lid when I do it now,” she told THE DAILY MAIL UK.
She is hoping someone could find the real cause of her hiccups in the heart future.
What Causes Hiccups?
According to patient.co.uk hiccups are a reflex action which occurs when the diaphragm involuntarily and suddenly contracts.
Common causes include eating too fast, drinking alcohol, acid reflux and emotional stress. Certain medications such as steroids may also trigger a bout of hiccups.
For short term hiccups, natural remedies include drinking iced water, controlled breathing, biting on a lemon, and drawing the knees up to compress the chest.