• Question: Why do you hiccup?

    Asked by 322eura33 to Alex, Ali, Kerry, Philip on 19 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Alex Pool

      Alex Pool answered on 19 Nov 2014:

      Your breathing as well as being controlled by your rib cages is also controlled by a sheet of muscle just below your lungs called your diaphragm. This can occasionally contract randomly and that causes you to hiccup. Which is why when you hiccup it normally hurts a little at the bottom of your ribs.

    • Photo: Alison Thomson

      Alison Thomson answered on 19 Nov 2014:

      What Alex said! These diaphragm contractions are called ‘spasms’

    • Photo: Philip Ratcliffe

      Philip Ratcliffe answered on 20 Nov 2014:

      Well, as the other two said, hiccoughs (that’s another possible spelling) occur when the diaphragm contracts spasmodically and involuntarily, so forcing air out of your lungs – the vocal chords also tighten making the particular sound.
      The causes are various, one is eating too fast, but also coughing or fizzy drinks.

Comments