• Question: How is hiccup created?

    Asked by Luke to Dan on 4 Nov 2016.
    • Photo: Dan Gordon

      Dan Gordon answered on 4 Nov 2016:

      Now this is a great question Luke and one which has vexed scientists for a number of years. When you get a hiccup what is happening is that the diaphragm, which is a muscle that sits beneath the bottom of your lungs suddenly an involuntarily contracts. It does this just as the lung is expanding (breathing in), so the sound you hear is the tightening of the diaphragm being echoed through the lung.
      Hiccups are generally caused by such things as eating to quickly which means that we miss a breath and the diaphragm tries to counteract this, drinking fizzing drinks, eating spicy food or consuming alcohol.

Comments

  • Photo: Katy

    Katy commented on :

    Another mystery to scientists for years is how to stop them! Everyone seems to have different methods from holding your breath, being scared by someone, drinking water backwards, doing a handstand…which technique is most effective…i am not sure?!