A hiccup, according to medical journals is a sudden, repititive andinvoluntary contraction or spasm of the diaphragm muscle. The diaphragm is the muscle just below the lungs and marks the boundary between the chest and abdomen and regulates breathing. When the diaphragm contracts, the lungs take in oxygen and when it relaxes, the lung releases carbondioxide. So when the diaphragm muscle spasms,the vocal cords snap shut, which produces the hiccup sound.

The common causes of hiccups the medical site explained, include eating too quickly, eating or drinking too much, diseases that irrate the nerves that control the diaphragm, abdominal surgery, strokes or brain tumors, noxious fumes, and certain medications.

While men and women are prone to get hiccups equally as often, those that last more than 48 hours are more common in men. Hiccups can also occur in a foetus while still in the uterus.

Home remedies for hiccups include holding the breath, drinking a glass of water quickly, pulling hard on the tongue, biting on a lemon, gargling with water, and using smelling salts. Medical experts have advised that people should consult a doctor if it last more than three hours.

CULLED: TELL Newspaper – Healthxtra