What Causes a Hiccough?

A hiccup happens when something surprises your diaphragm, the muscle that helps you breathe. It makes a quick sound and causes your body to jerk slightly. Imagine being startled by a loud noise while drinking water, that’s when hiccoughs can start!

How Hiccoughs Happen

When your diaphragm is surprised, it contracts quickly. This causes air to rush into your lungs in a fast motion, making the hic sound. Your body jerks because of this quick action.

Sometimes, things like eating too much or drinking carbonated drinks can cause hiccoughs. They usually go away on their own after a little while.

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Examples

  1. Drinking a large glass of soda too quickly can start a hiccup.
  2. Being startled in the middle of eating your favorite meal may cause you to hiccup.
  3. Laughing while drinking water might surprise your diaphragm and cause hiccoughs.

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Categories: Biology · hiccough· physiology· respiration · Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.