Hiccups are those funny little jumps or jerks you sometimes get in your breathing, and they come with a sound like “hic.” They happen because of a muscle called the diaphragm, which lives just under your ribs, kind of between your chest and your tummy. This muscle is pretty important when it comes to breathing – it goes down when you breathe in and up when you breathe out.
So, here’s what happens when you get the hiccups:
- Your diaphragm suddenly pulls down, like a quick little gulp of air.
- There’s a tiny space in your throat called the glottis, and it closes up to stop more air from getting in.
These two actions together create that hiccup sound. The whole hiccup process happens really fast, and usually, you’ll go back to breathing normally in a few minutes to a couple of hours, even without doing anything special to stop them.
What are the Causes of Hiccups?
Here are the possible reasons for hiccups explained in simpler terms:
- Breathing Balance: Hiccups are a bit mysterious, and scientists aren’t entirely sure why they happen. It might have to do with things like having too little carbon dioxide in your blood or having irritated nerves.
- Nerve Connection: There are special nerves involved in the way we breathe, like the phrenic nerve (which connects your neck to your breathing muscle, the diaphragm) and the vagus nerve (which links your brain to your stomach).
- Quick Eating and Drinking: Sometimes, if you eat or drink really fast, it can lead to hiccups.
- Bubbly Drinks and Alcohol: Drinking fizzy drinks or alcohol might also bring on hiccups.
- Overeating: When you eat a lot in one go, hiccups can show up.
- Emotions and Stress: Strong feelings like fear, excitement, or stress could trigger hiccups.
- Stretching Your Neck: If you stretch your neck out too much, it could play a part in getting hiccups.
- Certain Medications: Some medicines, especially ones used for anxiety (like benzodiazepines), could be related to hiccups.
- Extreme Temperature Drinks: Very hot or super cold drinks might be a hiccup trigger.
- Chemotherapy and Anesthesia: People going through chemotherapy or getting put to sleep for a medical procedure might get hiccups too.
- Inhaling Bad Air: Breathing in harmful fumes could also be a cause.
Remember, hiccups that go away on their own pretty quickly aren’t usually a big deal and will stop by themselves.
How do I treat hiccups?
Since the real reason behind hiccups isn’t completely clear, some tricks might help stop them, while others might not. You can try these simple methods at home, and they won’t harm you, so it’s okay to give them a shot:
- Drink Water Quickly: Take big sips of water in a fast and steady way.
- Sugar, Bread, or Crushed Ice: You could try swallowing a bit of granulated sugar, small pieces of dry bread, or even some crushed ice.
- Tongue Trick: Gently pull on your tongue to see if that helps.
- Gag Reflex: You could try gently making yourself gag by touching the back of your throat with a finger.
- Eye Rubbing: Some folks say that gently rubbing your eyeballs might work.
- Gargle Water: Gargling with water is another thing to test out.
- Hold Your Breath: Take a deep breath and hold it for a little while.
- Paper Bag Breathing: Breathing into a paper bag could also be worth a shot, but never use a plastic bag for this.
Remember, these tricks are harmless, so if you’ve got the hiccups, it’s alright to give them a try and see if they help you stop hiccuping.
