Book 1, Question 4
Why Do We Hiccup? Meet Your Twitchy Diaphragm!
Hic! Where does that funny sound come from? A hiccup starts when your diaphragm, a big dome-shaped muscle under your lungs, suddenly twitches. Air rushes in for a super quick breath, and your vocal cords snap shut, which makes the "hic" sound. Eating fast, swallowing air or laughing hard can set hiccups off. Babies hiccup a lot, even before they are born, and it is totally normal.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 1
More fun facts
- Your diaphragm is the muscle that separates your lungs from your belly. It is in charge of helping you breathe.
- Hiccups happen when the diaphragm squeezes out of rhythm, over and over, and you cannot control it.
- Doctors say hiccups happen when something disturbs the nerve pathways that run from your brain to your diaphragm.
- Fizzy drinks and eating too fast are common triggers. Getting really excited can set them off too.
- Most hiccups are short and go away on their own without any treatment.
- Many home remedies for hiccups have no scientific proof that they work.
- Some scientists think the hiccup reflex may be left over from ancient animal relatives, because tadpoles use a similar action when they breathe with gills. It is an idea, not a proven fact.
Sources: Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, BBC, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
Are hiccups bad for you?
Usually not. Most hiccups are just a nuisance and stop on their own. Hiccups that last for days are something to tell a doctor about.
Do hiccup cures really work?
Most home remedies have no scientific proof behind them. Hiccups usually stop by themselves.