Why do people hiccup?

Question

This is probably one of the stupidest questions you will ever answer but i was just wondering if anyone knew

Answer 1

It's not a stupid question but hiccups are from the diaphram spasming. I learned this in medical school. When the diaphram spasms it causes the hiccups and if you hold your breathe and expand the lungs it will more than likely stop them.

Answer 2

Hiccups are bursts of inspiratory (breathing in) activity. The muscles we use when we take in a breath are the intercostal muscles situated between the ribs, and the diaphragm — a sheet of muscle below the lungs.

Most simple cases of hiccups come after eating or drinking too much or too quickly. The stomach, which is situated right below the diaphragm, becomes distended and irritates it. This will cause the diaphragm to contract, as it does when we breathe in.

Sometimes hiccups will occur because of a disturbance to the nerve pathways from the brain to the muscles involved. This explains why hiccups may occur with temperature changes or emotional situations. It is also the reason that a sudden shock can sometimes abolish an attack.

Persistent hiccups may signify problems in the brain, spinal cord or any of the structures around the diaphragm or chest wall.

Everyone has their own pet remedy for curing hiccups. Simply holding your breath is often effective. Breathing into a paper bag, the best remedy, increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the lungs, relaxing the diaphragm and halting the spasms

Answer 3

A hiccup or hiccough (generally pronounced "HICK-up" (IPA: /ˈhɪ.kəp/) independent of the spelling) is an involuntary spasm of the diaphragm; typically this repeats several times a minute. The sudden rush of air into the lungs causes the glottis to close, creating the "hic" listen (help·info) noise. A bout of hiccups generally resolves by itself, although many home remedies are in circulation to shorten the duration, and medication is occasionally necessary. By extension, the term "hiccup" is also used to describe a small and unrepeated aberration in an otherwise consistent pattern. The medical term is singultus. The term singultus is becoming more popular as this condition is being recognized as a significant performance issue in the 21st century, with an increased emphasis on human communications.

While many cases develop spontaneously, 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 and certain kidney disease. It is reported that 30% of chemotherapy patients suffer singultus as a side effect to treatment. (American Cancer Society)

It is still unclear to scientists exactly why hiccups occur, particularly because it doesn't seem to give us any specific benefit. Some speculation exists that hiccups are a remnant of a bodily function that has been phased out by evolution, such as the move from aquatic gilled creatures to land animals. Ultrasounds have also shown that unborn fetuses experience hiccups. Some suggested hypotheses include hiccups as a possible muscle exercise for the child's respiratory system prior to birth or as a preventive measure to keep amniotic fluid from entering the lungs[1]. More research is required to ascertain their true nature, origins, and purpose, if any. Plus, its out-of-the-ordinary and complex remedies also make it harder for any scientists to find out the cause.

Answer 4

Hiccups are caused to diaphragm.

You may be wondering what is thisTdiaphragm.The diaphragm is a muscle at the bottom of the chest.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.

Sometimes this diaphragm may pull down in a jerky way, due to which the air gets into throat.When the air rushing hits the voice box, it generates hiccup.

Answer 5

Hiccups are muscle spasms of the diaphraghm

Answer 6

Its natural i dont know why we hiccup we just do

Answer 7

Its something to do with the diaphram but I honestly don't know what causes it...

Can I have the 10 points anyway for trying? lol

Answer 8

Someone told me that it's when there is too much air in your stomach. I really don't know tho.

Answer 9

lack of oxygen to the brain

Answer 10

I think it has something to do withthe diaphragm