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

RATIONALE: Intractable hiccups pose a significant impact on patients' quality of life and mental well-being, yet effective nonpharmacological interventions remain limited. Fu's subcutaneous needling (FSN), a novel acupuncture technique targeting myofascial trigger points (MTrPs), has not been previously reported in treating intractable hiccups.

PATIENT CONCERNS: The patient developed intractable hiccups (30-40 episodes/min) following treatment for allergic cough, unresponsive to medications and conventional acupuncture.

DIAGNOSES: Intractable hiccups.

INTERVENTIONS: FSN was applied to MTrPs in rectus abdominis, psoas major, erector spinae, and adductor magnus muscles. The needle was inserted subcutaneously toward tightened muscles, followed by fan-shaped sweeping for 2 minutes per session.

OUTCOMES: Hiccup frequency decreased from 6/10 to 1/10 on the Hiccup Assessment Instrument after 7 sessions. Symptoms resolved completely with no recurrence at 1-month follow-up.

LESSONS: FSN may be a safe and effective alternative for intractable hiccups by inactivating MTrPs and modulating fascial tension. Further randomized controlled trials are warranted.