Whenever somebody hiccups, it is often remarked that he is being remembered by some one. Some people even go to the extent of saying that the person who is hiccupping has secretly eaten something. In fact all these sayings are myths. It is just a reflex action of the body by which the body protects itself. The question arises: why do we hiccup?
Hiccups are short, sharp, and very sudden breaths of air which happen when our breathing muscles jerks, making us gasp. There is a diaphragm located between the chest and the stomach. While inhaling air this diaphragm goes down and presses the stomach due to which the lungs are filled with air; while exhaling air, the diaphragm goes up and the air comes out from the lungs. Thus the diaphragm goes up and down and the process of respiration continues incessantly without making any sound. The diaphragm functions like a piston. But sometimes, due to the formation of gas or increase of acidity in the stomach, the diaphragm gets irritated and as a result contracts suddenly. In such a situation, the air passing into the lungs experiences obstruction and makes a peculiar sound. This is nothing but the hiccup. Therefore it is a process by which the body tries to expel gas or undesirable food material out of the stomach so that respiration remains unobstructed. Shrinking of the diaphragm due to drinking or the growth of a tumour near it also causes hiccup. Hiccups can be caused by eating or drinking too much or too fast. It may also be a symptom of mineral disorders and brain-stem disease.
Hiccups usually last for a few minutes and disappear if nothing is done about them. The best way to stop hiccup is to drink a glass of cold water because the cold water stops the irritation produced in the diaphragm and it resumes its normal movement. Hiccup can also be stopped by holding breath for a while. Sometimes the hiccup stops when one sees something frightening. If the hiccup does not stop even after a long time, it is advisable to consult a physician. Generally under such situations, doctors prescribe the inhaling of oxygen mixed with 5 to 10 per cent carbon dioxide. Chlorpromazine also suppresses hiccup.