TRADITIONAL INTERNAL MEDICINE – DISEASES & FORMULAS

Hiccup

Hiccough, Singultus

Hiccups are an involuntary spasm of the Diaphragm which usually only lasts a short while. There are recorded cases of Hiccups lasting for long periods and being seriously debilitating for the individual. In severe cases the person may have trouble breathing, or inability to sleep. Western Medicine generally recommends medical intervention if the Hiccups last for longer than a day, or if they cause difficulty breathing or sleeping.

Causes

Causes of Hiccup can be such things as eating or drinking too fast, drinking carbonate beverages, excess spicy or cold food, alcohol or smoking.

Treatment:

From Internal Medicine point of view, Hiccups, although not really a disease of the Stomach, are closely related to Acid Reflux as the primary pathogenisis of both are rising Stomach Qi. Therefore people with recurring Hiccups or long-lasting Hiccups can be treated based on this idea.

Apply Cups to the Navel or over the Stomach on the Back.

Western Tradition

1. ‘Take Hot water and put your hands into it, and hold them there a good while, and the hicket [hiccup] will cease, it has been proved and found true’. (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)
2. ‘In many case sneezing will put an end to Hiccups’ (Syrian ‘Book of Medicine‘, Budge, 1913)
3. Breathing into a paper bag is an old folk treatment and appears to work for some.
4. Holding the breath for as long as possible.
5. Sipping Ice-cold water.
6. A spoonful of Vinegar of Squill, or Oxymel of Squill.
7. Rue or Rue seed taken in wine
8. “Cloves held often in the mouth do not a little profit”. (The Practice of Physick, 1663)
9. Take 3 drams of Dill seed, boil in 8 ounces of Wine, take 1 ounce as a dose.
10. “Take Aniseed, for they say that doth specifically cure”.
11. Parsley seed, Cumin, Aniseed
12. Betel nut (as much as a Chickpea) given in wine.
13. Galangal, Cyperus, Clove, Wormwood, Mint
14. Costus, Rose, Mastic, Spikenard

Vinegar of Squill
Powder to Warm the Belly (Rondeletius)
Powder of Aloeswood (Mesue)
Powder of Galangal Compound (Diagalanga) (Mesue)
Powder of Cumin Greater (Nicholas)
Electuary of Quince Compound
Electuary of Cumin (Diacyminum) Mesue
Philonium Romanum Galenii (for severe cases)

Chinese Classification

Stomach Deficiency and Cold

Ding Xiang Shi Di Tang

Stomach Qi Stagnation:

Ban Xia Hou Po Tang
Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San/Shui

Liver heat with rising Stomach

Qi Zuo Jin Wan

Damp-Heat

Hao Qin Qing Dan Tang

Special Formula

Mix Hiera Piera with Oxymel, take 1 dram as a dose.

MEDICINE OF ASCLEPIADES
    Costus
    Saffron
    Spikenard
    Rose
    Mastic                           4 scruples ea.
    Asarum
    Aloes                            2 scruples ea.
    Opium                           1 scruple
Make into Pills or small cakes with mucilage of Fleabane seed.
Galen described this formula of Asclepiades, and agreed it was effective. Take 1 scruple every morning.

INFUSION FOR HICCUP
    Aloe
    Wormwood
    Visnaga 
    Mastic
    Indian Spikenard 
    Cinnamom 
    Celery seeds
    Saffron equal parts 
Prepare a potion in cold water. (Rhazes)

POWDER FOR HICCUP
    Dill seeds                     ½ oz.
    Zedoary
    Aloeswood
    Nutmegs
    Cloves
    Powder of Diambra    1 dram ea.
Take 2 scruples in the morning with a little Wine, or add to them 3 ounces of Common Salt and let him eat it with all his food.

HICCUP FROM CHOLERIC HUMORS (HEAT)
    Rhubarb                               1 oz.
    Tamarind pulp                    2 drams
    Endive seed, Purslane
      seed, Tabasheer              1 dram ea.
    Sandalwood
    Diagrydium                         ½ dram ea.
Powder and with Syrup of Lemon make pills of ½ dram each. Take 2z–4 pills in the morning. (The Practice of Physick, 1663)

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