What exactly causes hiccups?

Hiccups are something that happens every day. Sometimes, hiccups sometimes become a laughing stock that might look funny if it happens to a friend.

However, what happens if hiccups occur at the wrong time, for example when ordering food, discussing important presentations, or discussing with superiors? Of course, hiccups are embarrassing, especially if you don't know the cause of the hiccups.

Even though hiccups are harmless and disappear by themselves, some people still wonder about the cause of hiccups. Especially if the hiccups don't go away for a long time.

What exactly causes hiccups that cause a "hik" sound? To find the cause, you must know in advance how hiccups can occur.
Hiccup appearance

The cause of hiccups is inseparable from the function of the diaphragm muscle. Hiccups usually occur when something disturbs the diaphragm muscle. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle and is isolated between the lungs and the stomach. The diaphragm separates the lungs and stomach and plays a role in the respiratory system.

When you inhale, the diaphragm muscles contract so that air can enter the lungs. During this time, when you exhale, the diaphragm muscles relax or weaken and draw air from the lungs through the mouth and nose.

However, what happens if something can cause hiccups to interfere with the diaphragm's muscles? In this condition, the diaphragm muscle will start to contract or contract accidentally and force air into the throat. That's when the forced air inside the jar opens and your vocal cords suddenly close.

The closure of the vocal cords that occurs suddenly causes hiccups that are often heard. After knowing how hiccups can occur, let's look at the causes of hiccups that are often the subject of people.
Causes of hiccups
Hiccups usually only occur for a few minutes and disappear by themselves. Hiccups usually do not continue to appear for a long time, like months.

Usually, hiccups that appear continuously only occur for 48 hours. The cause of hiccups that lasts long and continuously is usually caused by certain medical conditions.

The cause of hiccup that usually appears may be related to physical and emotional factors. In addition, abnormalities in the diaphragm muscle usually do not occur directly in these muscles, but can also occur in the nerves that connect the brain to the diaphragm muscle. Common causes of hiccups include:

• Depressed, too worried or too excited
• Excessive consumption of soft or alcoholic drinks
• Swallow air while smoking or chewing gum
• Eating too much or too fast
• Temperature change

In some cases, some diseases can cause hiccups. If this is due to an illness, you may feel tension in your stomach, throat, or chest. Meanwhile, here are some examples of problems that can cause hiccups that last and last:

• Central nervous system disorders, the cause of hiccups is due to infections or tumors in the central nervous system that can interfere with hiccup reflex control. Some examples of disorders can be in the form of stroke, meningitis, etc.
• The effects of certain drugs and drugs can also cause long-term hiccups, such as alcohol, drugs, steroids, etc.
• Metabolic disorders, in the form of diabetes, kidney disorders, electrolyte imbalances, etc.
• Damage or nerve disorders, the cause of hiccups is due to nerve damage or abnormalities related to the diaphragm muscle. Damage or interference can be caused by a foreign object in the ear that touches the eardrum, sore throat, neck tumor, etc.

The cause of hiccups is usually not serious, but you should always be vigilant if hiccups occur continuously and for more than 48 hours. Therefore, see a doctor immediately if you or the person closest to you has a prolonged hiccup.

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