Fu's subcutaneous needling for intractable hiccups: A case report

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Acupuncture Research
• Pain Management

Background:

• Intractable hiccups significantly impair quality of life, with limited nonpharmacological treatment options.
• Fu's subcutaneous needling (FSN), targeting myofascial trigger points (MTrPs), is a novel acupuncture technique.
• FSN has not been previously investigated for intractable hiccups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of FSN in treating intractable hiccups.
• To assess the safety and effectiveness of FSN for a patient unresponsive to conventional treatments.

Main Methods:

• A patient with intractable hiccups (30-40 episodes/min) unresponsive to medication and conventional acupuncture was treated.
• FSN was applied to MTrPs in the rectus abdominis, psoas major, erector spinae, and adductor magnus muscles.
• Needles were inserted subcutaneously and swept fan-shaped for 2 minutes per session.

Main Results:

• Hiccup frequency decreased significantly on the Hiccup Assessment Instrument after 7 FSN sessions.
• Complete resolution of hiccups was achieved.
• No recurrence of symptoms was observed at the 1-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• FSN appears to be a safe and effective alternative treatment for intractable hiccups.
• FSN may work by inactivating MTrPs and modulating fascial tension.
• Further randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.