There are many causes that can contribute to hiccups if you have a terminal illness.
It can be caused by the terminal illness you are living with, eg, liver cancer, or other medical conditions that happen at the same time.
Common causes of hiccups in people living with a terminal illness include:
- gut problems such as stomach distension, gastric stasis, constipation, bowel obstruction or gastro-oesophageal reflux
- metabolic conditions such as uraemia, high blood calcium, low blood potassium or low blood sodium
- infections
- liver disease
- brain conditions such as stroke, brain tumour, head injury or brain infection
- irritation of the nerves that supply your diaphragm, such as the phrenic nerve and the vagus nerve, due to surgery, tumours or infections
- medicines with anticholinergic activity, such as cyclizine or tricyclic antidepressants.