Why Do We Hiccup?

Sometimes you begin to hiccup and they just do not seem to stop, no matter how much you try. At such times, your grandmother might tell you that someone is remembering you. Some people even say that the person who is hiccupping has secretly eaten something. All these sayings are mere myths. (Don’t deny that you haven’t heard any of these) Hiccups are just reflex actions by which the body protects itself. Do you know why we hiccup?

This article tries to explain this hiccuping phenomenan in simple terms.

Hiccups are short, sharp, and very sudden breaths of air which happen when our breathing muscles jerk, making us gasp. There is a diaphragm located between the chest and the stomach. While inhaling air the diaphragm goes down and presses the stomach due to which the lungs are filled with air; while exhaling air, when the diaphragm goes up, the air comes out from the lungs. Thus the diaphragm goes up and down and the process of respiration continues incessantly without making any sound. The diaphragm works like a piston. (You might have read all this in your science class as well, only if you weren’t busy sleeping, like me)

But then there are some instances, due to formation of gas or increase of acidity in stomach, the diaphragm gets irritated and as a result contracts suddenly. In such situation, the air passing through the lungs experiences obstruction and makes a peculiar sound. This is known as hiccup. It is simply a process by which the body tries to expel gas or undesirable food material out of the stomach so that respiration remains unobstructed. Shrinking of the diaphragm due to drinking or the growth of a tumour near it also causes hiccup. Hiccups can be caused due to eating or drinking too much or too fast. It may also be an indication of mineral disorders and brain stem disease.

Hiccups generally last for a few minutes and disappear if nothing is done about them. The best way to get rid of a hiccup is to drink a glass of cold water because the cold water stops the irritation produced in the diaphragm and it resumes its normal movement. Holding breath for a while can also stop hiccups. Sometimes, the hiccup stops when one sees something frightening. (I have tried all, sometimes it just won’t go even though you did everything Google said.)

If hiccup does not stop even after a long time, it is advisable to consult a physician. It might be something serious.