why do we have hiccups?
490204
Hiccups are commonly caused by distention of the stomach, which you get if you eat too much, drink carbonated beverages, or swallow too much air. This suggests hiccup as a sequela to boozing may be more the result of fizzy mixers than alcohol itself. Or else you just slurp.\n\nLots of other things can cause hiccups too, some of them pretty scary. Skimming through a long list, I see skull fracture, epilepsy, diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction, tuberculosis, meningitis, bowel obstruction, and ulcerative colitis.
357639
i think you might be sucking in air when you eat. i find that when i eat bread(the yeast in itcauses air)i get hiccups.
377705
Drink a spoonful of lemon juice.\nthe sour taste shocks your nerves and stops hiccups.
535353
Oh sure, it happens all the time. I don't know why you've only heard of ONE person dying. It happens everyday. This is what happens. When you get the hiccups, your body has been tricked into thinking that it can't get air. Why does this happen you ask? It's because when you eat beef that was grown with steroids it creates a chemical that reactes with a chemical in your diaphragm and it makes your body think that it is suffocating. Well here's the deal with that. Most people's bodies don't create enough of this chemical to do them any harm. But 1 out of 10 people's bodies make 4 times as much of this chemical as needed, so it reacts 4 times as strong which in turn creates a vacuum inside your lungs each time you hiccup and it finally implodes on your lungs...and you die.
601547
I know it sounds nuts, but that hiccup trick works for me; where you get a tall cup of water, sit it on the table, and drink from the opposite side of the glass. It may have something to do with the way your air passages are as you drink\n\n\nAlso for hiccups, try a spoonful of peanut butter\n\n\nThe only real hiccup cure is one that treats the hiccups for what they really are. Hiccups are caused by the diaphragm spasming. Taking in as much air as possible, makes the lungs expand and push down on the diaphragm. This stretches the diaphragm out to it original position and shape. Hold the breath as long as possible, just don't pass out, and let it out. Voila', no more hiccups. It works every time. \n\nIf all of the above dont work.. just watch a horror movie or let something scare U.
629539
Take 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.
839855
Get some peanut butter and put it on the roof of your mouth. It works! One of my teacher's had a jar of it in the cupboard always handy for anyone who had 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
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.
306581
a hiccup is caused by a spasm of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the main muscle involved in breathing and the quick entry of air during a hiccup produces a sound as it passed through the pharynx.\n\nIt has nothing to do with the stomach
640197
All methods of relieving hiccups work the same way. With some practice, you can do it without using any of them. If you concentrate on waiting for the next hiccup you can prevent it from ever coming. It takes some practice! Good luck
815061
"Hic!" You've just hiccuped for what seems like the tenth time since you finished your big dinner. Wonder where these funny noises are coming from? The part to blame is your diaphragm (say: die-uh-fram). This is a dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of your chest, and all hiccups start here.\n\nThe diaphragm almost always works perfectly. When you inhale, it pulls down to help pull air into the lungs. When you exhale, it pushes up to help push air out of the lungs. But 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, you're left with a big hiccup.\n\nSome things that irritate the diaphragm are eating too quickly or too much, an irritation in the stomach or the throat, or feeling nervous or excited. Almost all cases of the hiccups last only a few minutes. Some cases of the hiccups can last for days or weeks, but this is very unusual, and it's usually a sign of another medical problem.\n\nYou've probably heard lots of suggestions for how to get rid of hiccups, and maybe you've even tried a few. Holding your breath and counting to 10 is one way some people can get rid of their hiccups. Other people say that drinking from the "wrong" side of a glass of water is the way to become hiccup-free.\n\nPutting sugar under your tongue might work, too. And maybe the most famous treatment - having someone jump out and scare you when you're not expecting it - helps some people wave good-bye to their hiccups. Boo!
467891
Hiccups are causes by your diaphragm being in spasm.  So my theory is try to get the diaphragm out of spasm by tweaking it.  Breathe in deeply and expand your chest and push out your stomach muscles.  Hold it for as long as you can, and then repeat.  It does work most of the time.\n\nIf you would a long list of possible solutions please check this link.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiccups
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.
440595
The diaphragm almost always works perfectly. When you inhale, it pulls down to help pull air into the lungs. When you exhale, it pushes up to help push air out of the lungs. But 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, you're left with a big hiccup.\n\nSome things that irritate the diaphragm are eating too quickly or too much, an irritation in the stomach or the throat, or feeling nervous or excited. Almost all cases of the hiccups last only a few minutes. Some cases of the hiccups can last for days or weeks, but this is very unusual, and it's usually a sign of another medical problem.
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.
231729
Hiccups are caused by:\n\n1. eating too fast resulting in swallowing a lot of air\n2. anything that irritates the diaphragm (too much alcohol, too much fatty food\n\nThere are several methods you can try to get rid of them:\n1. hold your breath\n2. drink a glass of water quickly\n3. pull hard on your tongue\n4. a spoon full of sugar placed on the back of your tongue and taken all at once (can be repeated)\n5. having someone scare you\n6. sniff smelling salts