Why do people Hiccup?

Question

I have always wanted to know.

Answer 1

Pressure on the phrenic nerve.

Answer 2

A hiccup or hiccough (generally pronounced "HICK-cup" (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.

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, drinking an excess of an alcoholic beverage, or electrolyte imbalance. 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.

Answer 3

When people hiccup the part of your body to blame is your diaphragm. This is a dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of your chest, and all hiccups start here.

The diaphragm almost always works perfectly. 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.

Answer 4

The real cause is basically unknown but, what is known is the physiological cause such as irritation of the diaphragm or of the phrenic nerve or its caused by its compression by tumors or even in people with electrolye imbalances in diseases such as chronic renal failure.
In Normal everyday people without diseases, it may be caused by eating too fast or even lauging too hard.
Ways to stop hiccups include taking in a very deep breath & holding for as long as u can, kissing, or being startled, drinking lots of water.
So, the nest time u notice a crush hiccuping, u can grab them & kiss 'em!

Answer 5

you hiccup when your breathing gets out of sync from your diaphram moving up and down... for example, normally whne you breathe in, your diaphram moves down (to allow room for the air) but when youre hiccupping, if you breate in, your diahram moves up and its jsut all like weird and messed up and the hiccupping is your body trying to correct the problem... or at least this is the explanation i was given by a teacher many years ago!

Answer 6

There's a nerve in your diaphragm called the phrenic nerve- it misfires or twitches causing your diaphragm to spasm. High school biology stuck with me!

Answer 7

It is caused by a contraction of a muscle in your belly.I can call the names of it,but that's way to technical ,ok.Rob.xxxx

Answer 8

well..wen i have hiccups..its mostly bcuz i kept on fake burpin.hahahaha!

Answer 9

you hiccup when you swallow too much air

Answer 10

it is a automatic response from your body to get more air into your lungs so if you breath deep and lpong it maked them go away easier