LEXINGTON, Ky. — For today’s Good Question, Joyce wants to know, “Why do we hiccup?”
Doctors can explain how hiccups happen, but the reason humans hiccup at all remains unknown.
What’s actually happening when you hiccup
A hiccup is a muscle spasm — similar to a spasm you might feel in your leg or back — but because of which muscle is involved, it’s much louder.
Hiccups are caused by involuntary spasms of the diaphragm, the large muscle beneath your lungs that controls breathing. When the diaphragm contracts suddenly, you pull in air until your vocal cords snap shut — producing the sound we all recognize.
What triggers hiccups
Common triggers include:
- Eating too quickly
- Drinking carbonated beverages
- Sudden temperature changes in the stomach, such as eating something hot followed by something cold
- Excitement or stress
How to get rid of them
Common steps to stop hiccups include:
- Holding your breath for as long as comfortable
- Breathing into a paper bag
- Swallowing a teaspoon of sugar
- Drinking a glass of water
Hiccups usually go away on their own. But the Mayo Clinic says if they last more than 48 hours, you should see a doctor, as they could be a symptom of a more serious condition.
Why do we hiccup at all?
That question remains unanswered. Theories include:
- An evolutionary mechanism shared with an aquatic ancestor
- A fetal reflex that helps train the muscles to breathe
- A function related to early development that helped people burp
All of those remain theories…