why do we get hiccups?

Answer 1

A hiccup or hiccough (normally pronounced "HICK-up" regardless of 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 epiglottis to close, creating the "hic" listen (help·info) noise. A bout of hiccups generally resolves itself without intervention, although many home remedies are in circulation that claim 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 alcoholic beverage to excess, crying out loud (sobbing causes air to enter the stomach), some smoking situations where abnormal inhalation can occur (in tobacco or other smoke like cannabis, perhaps triggered by precursors to coughing, or in the case of cannabis, by precursors to laughter), 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 of treatment

One possible beneficial effect of hiccups is to dislodge foreign pieces of food, which have become stuck in the esophagus, or which are traveling too slowly. When a piece of food is swallowed that is too large for the natural peristalsis of the esophagus to move the food quickly into the stomach, it applies pressure on the phrenic nerve, invoking the hiccup reflex. This causes the diaphragm to contract, creating a vacuum in the thoracic cavity, which creates a region of low pressure on the side of the lump of food nearest the stomach, and a region of high pressure on the side of the lump of food nearest the mouth. This lungs differential across the food creates a force, which assists peristalsis. In humans, gravity partially assists peristalsis, but in quadrupeds and many marine vertebrates, their oesophagi run roughly perpendicular to the force of gravity, so that gravity provides little assistance. The hiccup mechanism likely evolved as an aid to peristalsis in our ancestors. It only now appears to offer little benefit, as humans are upright and gravity assists peristalsis, making it very unlikely for food to become lodged in the esophagus.

Ultrasound scans have also shown that fetuses experience hiccups. Some hypotheses suggest that hiccups are a muscle exercise for the respiratory system prior to birth, or that they prevent amniotic fluid from entering the lungs. More research is required to ascertain their true nature, origins, and purpose, if any.

Check for more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiccups

Answer 2

Why do we get hiccups?

When you hiccup, your diaphragm involuntarily contracts. (The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen. It plays an extremely important role in breathing.)

This contraction of the diaphragm then causes an immediate and brief closure of the vocal cords, which produces the characteristic sound of a hiccup. What actually causes the hiccup is difficult to say - in most instances, there is no obvious cause.

Attacks of the hiccups seem to be associated with a few different things: eating or drinking too fast; being nervous or excited; or having irritation in the stomach and/or throat.

In some extremely rare cases, the underlying cause of hiccups can be pleurisy (inflammation of the membrane lining of the lungs and chest cavity), pneumonia, certain disorders of the stomach or esophagus, pancreatitis, alcoholism, or hepatitis. Any one of these conditions can cause irritation of the diaphragm or of the phrenic nerves that supply the diaphragm - it's the irritation that causes the hiccups.

Still, the cause of most attacks of the hiccups remains a mystery

Answer 3

Hiccups must be controlled by the brain because the only sure fire way i know to get rid of them involves confusing the person with them, It honestly works, try it. a few months back whilst my wife was having a hiccup marathon i accused her of fancying the guy next door, when she began to question why i should say this and tell me how stupid i was, i pointed out to her how her hiccups have gone now. another time a friend of mine was hiccupping like crazy and i 'reminded' him of how he owed me money, he also began to question and defend himself, and also like my wife his hiccups were gone. I know this may sound a cruel way to cure hiccups but as the saying goes - you've got to be cruel to be kind. if any one tries this please leave a message and let me know how you get on.

Answer 4

Check here a very effective Sciatica Natural Treatment ( http://cure-sciatica.info )
Normally, I would not answer a question like this as my expertise is generally in medication but I had severe sciatica while I was pregnant with my 3rd child (after having had twins) and I had sciatica so bad that I was finding it difficult to walk. I tried massage therapy and physical therapy and could not take medication
I went to the chiropractor and the pain was instantly relieved. My hips and lower back were out of alignment because I had carried twins the year before. On occasion a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) can also work but they usually only work on one joint at a time - the chiropractor will do your whole back which works faster. Anyone who does not believe in chiropractors will tell you they are quacks - don't listen.
I don't necessarily believe that chiropractors can cure things like diabetes but they can definitely relieve some types of back pain especially if a pinched nerve is involved which is usually the cause of sciatica.

Answer 5

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.

Answer 6

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 alcoholic beverage to excess, crying out loud (sobbing causes air to enter the stomach), some smoking situations where abnormal inhalation can occur (in tobacco or other smoke like cannabis, perhaps triggered by precursors to coughing, or in the case of cannabis, by precursors to laughter), or electrolyte imbalance.
One possible beneficial effect of hiccups is to dislodge foreign pieces of food, which have become stuck in the esophagus, or which are traveling too slowly. When a piece of food is swallowed that is too large for the natural peristalsis of the esophagus to move the food quickly into the stomach, it applies pressure on the phrenic nerve, invoking the hiccup reflex. This causes the diaphragm to contract, creating a vacuum in the thoracic cavity, which creates a region of low pressure on the side of the lump of food nearest the stomach, and a region of high pressure on the side of the lump of food nearest the mouth. This lungs differential across the food creates a force, which assists peristalsis. In humans, gravity partially assists peristalsis, but in quadrupeds and many marine vertebrates, their oesophagi run roughly perpendicular to the force of gravity, so that gravity provides little assistance. The hiccup mechanism likely evolved as an aid to peristalsis in our ancestors. It only now appears to offer little benefit, as humans are upright and gravity assists peristalsis, making it very unlikely for food to become lodged in the esophagus.

Answer 7

This doesn't answer your question - but a good way to get rid of hiccups is to drink water and wait about twenty minutes. Most folksy cures slip a glass of water in somewhere, and the rest of it is just delaying tactics.

Regular hiccups is one of your body's many ways of saying 'drink water please'. Juice, milk, tea and coffee don't work - many have a net dehydrating effect because it takes water to digest food, and to flush toxins, like caffeine and tannin.

A lot of people who find water boring, eat fruit or drink juice whenever they're thirsty - this makes them more thirsty, so they eat more fruit, or drink more juice... Like putting out a fire with gasoline. Which can be done, actually - but don't try it at home....

Oops - think I answered it after all...

Helen

Answer 8

Hold your breath and count to 20, drink a glass of water while holding your nose or get someone to give you a fright. Oh get someone to make you stand in front of a few people and say to you " go on then hiccup again".

Answer 9

I was told by my doctor that hiccup`s can be a sign that the kidney`s are not functioning properly.So hiccup`s can be a serious matter!.

Answer 10

A good cure.

Tell a friend to fill a glass of water to the rim. Then get them to balance it on the top of your head while you are standing up. The shear determination that you dont hiccup and get wet makes them disappear, in seconds.

Answer 11

We get hiccups when our normal breathing pattern is interrupted, and hiccups is the bodys way of bringing our breathing back into sync.