New Delhi: Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, it has been some sort of mystery for experts and medical professionals. A list of symptoms that was only three-symptom long, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, now has at least 11 possible symptoms of the disease.

However, as the disease spreads further into the world, even as experts work round the clock to produce effective and safe vaccines and treatments for the condition, new symptoms and complications due to the disease are reported almost every other day. Now, doctors are encountering patients who are reporting hiccups as the main symptom of the widespread disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19.

Are hiccups the newest symptom of COVID-19?

According to a report in the Business Insider, doctors at the Cook County Health’s Department of Emergency had reported an unusual case of COVID-19 in April. The patient had hiccups as the main symptom of the disease. It is unusual because hiccups have neither been reported nor listed as one of the symptoms of COVID-19.

The patient had hiccups for over four days, without a reason. He had also experienced drastic weight loss in recent weeks. When the doctors performed a chest X-ray, suspecting a lung tumour, what they found was a “ground glass”, a common characteristic in COVID-19 patients’ lungs, which causes the X-ray to seem cloudy. When he was tested for novel coronavirus, he was found positive.

A similar case was seen in June, in a study published online that has not been peer-reviewed yet. A 64-year-old man was brought to the emergency after he complained of constant hiccups and wheezing. When an X-ray was performed, a similar ground-glass pattern was observed. On testing, he was also found to be coronavirus positive.

What could be leading to hiccups among COVID-19 patients?

Few cases such as the above have raised the question – Are hiccups a persistent symptom of COVID-19? However, researchers do not have a solid answer for the same. Hiccups are very, very common among people all around the world, and often not a cause of a health concern. However, instances such as the above can intrigue people and researchers to explore this further. 

Trying to vaguely understand what could cause hiccups in COVID-19 patients, some doctors have said that the symptom could be linked to the already proven, researched, and listed symptom of digestive troubles caused due to COVID-19. The argument is that if the virus can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, it may also impact the phrenic nerve, which controls the diaphragm. This can cause involuntary contractions of the diaphragm – which is also known as hiccups. 

However, these are just speculations. No specific studies have yet been conducted in the matter. It is recommended to get yourself tested, and self-isolate for at least two weeks if you see any common symptoms of COVID-19, as listed by health agencies. It also remains as important to continue practicing prevention – social distancing, wearing a mask, and washing hands frequently to keep the risk of contraction at bay.