why can we stop a hiccup when you place a finger just under your nostrils?
468830
While I have never heard of this particular remedy, it works on a very simple principle.  The reason we hiccup is simply because our diaphragm (the muscle which controls our breathing) is out of sync.  The way the diaphragm works is that when it contracts, it squeezes the lungs, forcing air out, much like squeezing a plastic bag full of air.  When the muscle expands, it pulls on the lungs, causing us to draw air in, like the handle on an air pump pulls on the seal, drawing air into the chamber.  The reason placing your finger under your nose works, is simply that it provides a 'focus', which causes you to draw and exhale your breath steadily, which causes the diaphragm to fall back in sync.  This is the same reason why holding your breath works, if you hold it long enough the diaphragm falls back into sync.  The best way to stop the hiccups, is to just focus on breathing slow, deep breaths at regular intervals.
370352
Hiccups are caused by the diaphragm spasming.  Try holding your breath or forcing air down to help stop the spasm
1101339
I think it is due to a spasm in your diaphragm. If you breathe in real slowly and then exhale real slowly a couple of times it can stop your hiccups.
410566
hiccups are an involantary muscle spasm of the diaphram.  usually occurs when you are dehydrated and are eating or immediatly following a meal. your body needs fluid in your esophugas to move food to your stomach through peristalsis
393696
Here's the real answer to your question:\n\nTake a deep breath in, but don't hold it, just keep the air in your lungs for about 3-5 cycles (the time it would take for you to breathe in and out 3-5 times).  \n\nA hiccup results from your brain thinking your lungs aren't getting enough oxygen, so it forces oxygen in until something turns the trigger off.  Holding your breath doesn't turn the trigger off, because the hiccupping is centered around the inhale, but holding your breath = pausing the exhale.  But if you keep your lungs in a posture of continuous inhalation, the hiccups stop immediately because the brain realizes the lungs are fully saturated.
342564
A hiccup or hiccough (generally pronounced "HICK-up" independent of the spelling) is an involuntary spasm of the diaphragm; typically this repeats several times a minute. The sudden rush of air into the lungs causes the glottis to close, creating the "hic" noise. A bout of hiccups generally resolves by itself, although many home remedies are in circulation to shorten the duration, and medication is occasionally necessary. By extension, the term "hiccup" is also used to describe a small and unrepeated aberration in an otherwise consistent pattern. The medical term is singultus.\n\nWhile many cases develop spontaneously, hiccups are known to develop often in specific situations, such as eating too quickly, taking a cold drink while eating a hot meal, eating very hot or spicy food, laughing vigorously or coughing, or drinking an excess of an alcoholic beverage. Hiccups may be caused by pressure to the phrenic nerve by other anatomical structures, or rarely by tumors.\n\nIt is still unclear to scientists exactly why hiccups occur, particularly because it doesn't seem to give us any specific benefit. Some speculation exists that hiccups are a remnant of a bodily function that has been phased out by evolution, such as the move from aquatic gilled creatures to land animals. More research is required to ascertain their true nature, origins, and purpose, if any.
352444
This is a true method.\n\nDrink from the backside of a cup of water!\n\nWith a cup half full, lower it waste high and bend over so that your mouth is on the back side of the cup. Continue bending and tip the cup so as to take a drink.\n\nWha-la, your hiccups are gone.
183274
Swallow 1 tsp. white table sugar, dry. A study found that this stopped hiccups immediately in 19 out of 20 people. Repeat up to three more times at 2-minute intervals if necessary.  \n  \n2.   Gulp down a glass of water if the sugar doesn't work.  \n  \n3.   Eat a piece of dry bread slowly.  \n  \n4.   Breathe in and out of a paper bag. Do not use a plastic bag under any circumstances, and don't do this longer than 1 minute.  \n  \n5.   Gargle with water (see 'How to Gargle').  \n  \n6.   Repeat the above steps until your hiccups stop.
185253
For me, I day-dream on purpose.  When you day-dream you forget about the hiccups, and breathe normal, thus, getting rid of the hiccups.  For anyone who reads this, you really should try this; IT WORKS!
106390
well hiccups happen when u swallow air and then u eat too \nfast. so its not bad but in some casesof the hiccups can last for days or weeks, but this is very unusual, and it's usually a sign of another medical problem.
176925
Inhale and exhale for a couple of minutes into a brown paper bag. Do this at a nice pace and you will normalize and lose the hiccups.
284812
any forced expiratory effort (“strain”) against a pinced nose, whether at the nose and mouth or at the glottis; will help you for the hiccups\n\none more option is to drink water
1038643
Breathing CO2(carbondioxide) eases hiccups. Breathing in a closed environment (like a paper bag) increase CO2 intake, thereby helping ease hiccups. Holding breath does the same.
387542
because air builds up inside us. It happens if you eat quickly or talk fast because you aren't getting enough air or you are getting air randomly so your body doesn't have chance to use it properly. Then it gets stuck and it comes out as hiccoughs
763786
Hiccups is a spasm of the diaphragm. If you have a spasm of any other part of the body it is not helpful so I see no reason for hiccups to be beneficial.
554945
Yawns and hiccups are our body's natural response to lack of oxygen.  Hiccups occur when our body thinks we're not breathing as often as we should, especially with any activity that involves using the mouth and respiratory system (eating/drinking or talking / singing).\n\nTherefore, use any one of the following (or a combination) as a cure for hiccups:\n\n1.) CLASSICAL / OPERA SINGER'S Long Breathing Exercises - Stand up, torso straight, head up, legs slightly apart, with your arms spread eagle-like almost to your ears.  Take a deep, deep breath -- imagine trying to fill your entire torso with air.  Hold for a few seconds.  Then, exhale all of the air as slowly as you possibly can, by making the sound of a snake ("Ssssss").  Slowly lower your arms all the way to rest on your sides as you say "Ssss," or until you have no breath left to expel. (You MUST expel all of it.)  Then repeat from the beginning.  Do at least 10 repetitions.\n \n2.)  Drink a glass of water.  Swallow large gulps, but not in rapid succession.  Take one big gulp every 10 seconds, until you finish off the glass.  \n\n3.) BRIDAL MARCH -- Start walking very slowly, taking slow breaths and exhaling properly as you do.  Walk like a bride:  one foot step forward , feet together;  other foot forward, both feet together.\n\n4.) TRY TO FORGET ABOUT TRYING TO GET RID OF HICCUPS.  Focus on something else vastly more important, more urgent, more interesting.  (Example:  look at some gorgeous nude guy's pic.)  Don't forget to breathe luxuriously.  :-)  Your body will gradually realize you don't need to hiccup to get enough oxygen, especially with your brain pre-occupied with something else.
183693
I usually eat banana then drink one glass of water straight\n.....\n\n\nWhen you hiccup, your diaphragm involuntarily contracts.\n:(The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that separates the\n:chest cavity from the abdomen. It plays an extremely important\n:role in breathing.)\n:\n:This contraction of the diaphragm then causes an immediate\n:and brief closure of the vocal cords, which produces the\n:characteristic sound of a hiccup. What actually causes the\n:hiccup is difficult to say - in most instances, there is no obvious\n:cause.\n:\n:Attacks of the hiccups seem to be associated with a few different\n:things: eating or drinking too fast; being nervous or excited; or\n:having irritation in the stomach and/or throat.\n:\n:In some extremely rare cases, the underlying cause of hiccups\n:can be pleurisy (inflammation of the membrane lining of the lungs\n:and chest cavity), pneumonia, certain disorders of the stomach or\n:esophagus, pancreatitis, alcoholism, or hepatitis. Any one of these\n:conditions can cause irritation of the diaphragm or of the phrenic\n:nerves that supply the diaphragm - it's the irritation that causes the\n:hiccups.\n:\n:Still, the cause of most attacks of the hiccups remains a mystery.