title: Use of osteopathic manipulative treatment to manage recurrent bouts of singultus.
abstract: Singultus, or hiccups, are involuntary spasms of the diaphragm that in most cases are harmless and self-limited. Treatments are reserved for those cases that persist, and current options include pharmacotherapeutics, complementary methods (such as acupuncture), and osteopathic manipulative treatment. A 32-year-old woman with stiff person syndrome and concurrent aminoacidopathy in the setting of acute inpatient rehabilitation was experiencing daily bouts of singultus, ranging from 20-minute to 5-hour durations. Osteopathic manipulative treatment at the onset of spasm resulted in immediate cessation of and further suppression of singultus for approximately 12 to 24 hours. Overall, there was a noted reduction in singultus frequency, duration, and intensity, as well as better tolerance of physical and occupational therapy. The authors theorize that OMT could be a useful adjunct to, or replacement of, pharmacologic interventions for singultus, especially when pharmacologic therapies have failed.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Moss Rehabilitation Hospital in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania (Dr Seidel), and the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Drs Seidel and Benaquista Desipio) bseidel44@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Seidel
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Moss Rehabilitation Hospital in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania (Dr Seidel), and the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Drs Seidel and Benaquista Desipio).
authors.forename: Gina Benaquista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Desipio
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006606:Hiccup; D006801:Humans; D026301:Manipulation, Osteopathic / Q000379:methods*