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Article: What causes hiccups?
- Article from:
- Children's Playmate
- Article date:
- December 1, 1995
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1995 Benjamin Franklin Literary & Medical Society, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Where do those funny little noises come from when you have hiccups? To find out, let's take a closer look at what happens when you hiccup.
Beneath your lungs is a large muscle called the diaphragm (DIE-uh-fram). It is shaped like an upside-down bowl.
Usually the diaphragm works gently and smoothly, helping your lungs pull air in and push air out. But if the diaphragm tightens very quickly, air gets pulled into your lungs quickly. All that air rushing down your throat makes the vocal cords snap shut. This causes the "hic" sound.
You can get hiccups if you eat or drink too fast, get excited, or even if you're just ...