what causes hick-ups?

Answer 1

Hiccups are sudden, involuntary contractions of the diaphragm muscle. As the muscle contracts repeatedly, the opening between your vocal cords snaps shut to check the inflow of air and makes the hiccup sound.

Answer 2

The diaphragm is what causes your hiccups. When you inhale, it pulls down to help pull air into the lungs. When you exhale, it pushes up to help push air out of the lungs. But sometimes the diaphragm becomes irritated. When this happens, it pulls down in a jerky way, which makes you suck air into your throat suddenly. When the air rushing in hits your voice box, you're left with a big hiccup.

Some things that irritate the diaphragm are eating too quickly or too much, an irritation in the stomach or the throat, or feeling nervous or excited. Almost all cases of the hiccups last only a few minutes. Some cases of the hiccups can last for days or weeks, but this is very unusual, and it's usually a sign of another medical problem.

You've probably heard lots of suggestions for how to get rid of hiccups, and maybe you've even tried a few. Holding your breath and counting to 10 is one way some people can get rid of their hiccups. Other people say that drinking from the "wrong" side of a glass of water is the way to become hiccup-free.

Putting sugar under your tongue might work, too. And maybe the most famous treatment - having someone jump out and scare you when you're not expecting it - helps some people wave good-bye to their hiccups.

Answer 3

Hiccups Overview

Hiccups are sudden, involuntary contractions of the diaphragm muscle. As the muscle contracts repeatedly, the opening between your vocal cords snaps shut to check the inflow of air and makes the hiccup sound. Irritation of the nerves that extend from the neck to the chest can cause hiccups.

Although associated with a variety of ailments (some can be serious such as pneumonia or when harmful substances build up in the blood for example from kidney failure), hiccups are not serious and have no clear reason for occurring.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/hiccups/article_em.htm

Answer 4

Hiccups are known to develop often in specific situations, such as eating too quickly, taking a cold drink while eating a hot meal, eating very hot or spicy food, laughing vigorously or coughing, or drinking an excess of an alcoholic beverage. Hiccups may be caused by pressure to the phrenic nerve by other anatomical structures, or rarely by tumors. It is still unclear to scientists exactly why hiccups occur, particularly because it doesn't seem to give us any specific benefit.

Answer 5

hick-ups are caused by a spasm on your diaphram(the bone that help you breath). Just in case you get the hick-ups, drink water while you cover ears. Hope it helps!!

Answer 6

The cause of hiccups is unknown, but most people get them because they over eat, or eat to fast, so they swallow air. It irritates your diaphragm, causing a hiccups. There are other reasons, but they aren't certain.
Here's a good webpage:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiccups

Answer 7

If you are "exhaling" and drinking water at the same time...they "clash" and that causes hiccups

Answer 8

It's an imbalance of airpressure around your diaphram

Answer 9

Air trapped between your stomach and throat.