A friend of mine from work has decided to start working out, and hit the gym for the first time in many years last night. This morning at work, he is complaining about severe pain while swallowing and constant hiccups. I know that correlation doesn’t imply causation, but does anyone know if the two might be linked, and what may be causing this?
hiccups are just a diaphragm spasm, right?
As for pain swallowing, there are plenty of colds going around…
That’s exactly what I said. The guy is a touch of a hypochondriac, though.
tell him to HTFU!
Not to get all wacky and paranoid on you, but hiccups and pain with swallowing can be unusual signs of heart disease. If he has any risk factors for coronary dz, he should strongly consider this…
Tony Verow. MD
A friend of mine from work has decided to start working out, and hit the gym for the first time in many years last night. This morning at work, he is complaining about severe pain while swallowing and constant hiccups. I know that correlation doesn’t imply causation, but does anyone know if the two might be linked, and what may be causing this?
GERD, possibly?
Given the usual route of people hitting the gym (“I used to do this just fine, I don’t need no trainer!”) they do a lot of crunches (Gotta get those abs!), bench presses, curls, etc. They place a lot of strain on the muscles and structures of the upper body. Then most of them (apocryphal) go home and are ravenous, so they stuff themselves. Boom, indigestion compounded by DOMS, possibly some reflux during the night (sore throat).
In either case, if it continues at all, advise him to seek medical attention. Momentary hiccups are no big thing, but persistent hiccups have been a sign in things all the way from coronary artery disease to cervical fractures in the area where the stomach/diaphragm nerves pass out of the spinal column (C5? 6? Don’t remember)
John