Journal
of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, Oct 2014, vol/iss 16/7(396-401)
Palese,
Alvisa, Condolo, Giulio, Dobrina, Raffaella, Skrap, Miran
According to the patients' experience, living
with persistent hiccups was characterized by 3 main themes: (a) resignation to
its unpredictable nature; (b) despair that there is nothing worse than hiccups;
and (c) learning to control the pauses. In trying to interrupt hiccups, patients learn to
control their pauses, lengthening the interval between 1 spasm and the next, thereby achieving an acceptable level of symptom discomfort.