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Just about everyone gets hiccups from time to time. Babies get them, adults get them, even many animals can get them. So what are they and why do they happen? To get to the bottom this question we turn to our friends at KidsHealth.org.
Hiccups are a part of life. Sometimes they can come at the worst times, too. Usually, they only last for a few minutes, but in extreme cases they have been known to last for days or even months!
There are many different ideas on how to get rid of hiccups, like putting sugar under your tongue or drinking water slowly while breathing through your nose. Some people even think a good scare will make the hiccups history. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t, but if you wait for a minute or two, they typically will leave on their own.
But what are they and why do they happen? And why do we all make that strange sound? It all starts with the muscle in your chest called the diaphragm. This muscle helps you breathe by expanding (getting larger) and contracting (getting smaller) to help push air in and out of your lungs.
So what happens to the diaphragm that causes hiccups? We’ll let KidsHealth.org give you the lowdown:
“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, your vocal cords close suddenly and you're left with a big hiccup.”
Irritation of the diaphragm can happen when you get too nervous or if you eat too quickly. So be sure to chew your food (for a lot of reasons) and try not to get too anxious about stuff - well unless you want the hiccups that is.
Looking for more Never Stop Asking "Why?" questions? Catch up on all of the past "Why's" on the blog!
