How many times have you seen this in the movies and on television: The “drunk,” slumped on his barstool, is telling his sad tale to the bartender or anyone else willing to listen. And every other word is punctuated with an involuntary spasm of the shoulders and a short, squeaking noise – a hiccup.
Ever wonder why we get the hiccups? Are they really associated with alcohol use? And to get rid of them, does frightening the “hiccupper” really work?
The reason we hiccup is unknown. The phenomenon is nearly universal and it can even be observed in a fetus, especially during the last trimester of pregnancy. The technical term for hiccups is singultus (from the Latin, singult, which describes catching your breath while crying). Hiccupping is a complex reflex: A sudden contraction or spasm of the diaphragm and the muscles between the ribs makes you inhale quickly and involuntarily. Read more…
According to Rob Shmerling