When Hiccups Speak Louder Than Cough: A Case Report of An Unusual Presentation of Lung Abscess

Hiccups are commonly benign, self-limiting events often triggered by transient gastrointestinal or central nervous system irritants. However, when persistent, they may indicate underlying pathology involving the thoracic, gastrointestinal, or neurological systems. We report the case of a 65-year-old male smoker who presented with a 4-day history of persistent hiccups. He denied fever, chest pain, hemoptysis, or other systemic symptoms. Physical examination was largely unremarkable except for decreased air entry in the right middle and lower lung zones. Initial investigations, including gastroscopy and tumor markers, ruled out gastrointestinal causes. CT scan of the chest revealed a right lower lobe consolidation and cavitation with air fluid level and adjacent ground-glass opacities, along with enlarged subcarinal lymph nodes. Differential diagnoses included lung abscess, pneumonia, and tuberculosis cavitation. The patient was admitted for suspected lung abscess and received antibiotics. Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage revealed no endobronchial lesions, and PCR testing and culture of the fluid was negative for tuberculosis but positive for klebsiella pneumonia. Despite radiologic regression of pneumonia, the cavitary lesion and lymphadenopathy persisted initially, but later started to regress. This case highlights an unusual presentation of lung abscess manifesting solely as persistent hiccups, without classic respiratory or systemic signs. We aim to emphasize the need to consider thoracic causes in patients with otherwise unexplained persistent hiccups, and undergo further evaluation in such cases.