The sound of hiccups is the glottis of the throat^＊1 It comes from a place called the diaphragm," which lies beneath the lungs.^＊2 The muscle called spasm When the vocal cords on both sides of the throat suddenly close, air can no longer enter the body, causing a jerking vibration and a "click" sound at the same time! ¹⁾ The following is a list of the most common problems with the

Although the exact cause of hiccups is not known, it is thought to be related to irritation of the nerves that control the muscles associated with breathing, such as the diaphragm, or parts of the brain. Hiccups are most likely to occur when eating a lot of food in a hurry, drinking drinks all at once, drinking carbonated beverages, or eating hot or spicy food. In adults, drinking a lot of alcohol or smoking cigarettes may also trigger hiccups. What they all have in common is that the carbon dioxide level in the blood tends to decrease due to fast, deep breathing, etc.

Most hiccups subside spontaneously within a few minutes and can be left alone, but even a brief hiccup can be painful for the hiccup sufferer. That's why people have been trying to find a quick fix for hiccups with familiar things for a long time. There are many folk remedies that have been handed down from generation to generation, such as "Surprise me and I will stop hiccups. For example, "surprise the patient," "drink cold water in one gulp," "drink water from the other side of the glass with your head tilted back," and so on. Others include "holding your breath for a moment," "plugging your ears with your fingers," and "gently pulling on your tongue. You have probably tried at least one of these. Temporary hiccups can occur even in healthy people, but if hiccups persist for more than two days, there is a possibility of illness and it is better to consult a ^doctor2).

Even if the hiccups are short-lived, just when you think they have stopped, they start again with a "hiccup..." and you may wonder how long they will last. There are people in the world who have had hiccups for years without stopping. The "Guinness World Records" has certified Charles Osborne of the United States as the world's longest hiccup survivor, with 68 years of hiccups. He had hiccups at a rate of 20 to 40 times per minute for 68 years, which is estimated to be about 430 million hiccups.

1 Glottis: The left and right vocal cords and the space surrounded by them are called the glottis. The left and right vocal cords make contact in the middle of the glottis, and when air slips through there, the mucous membrane of the vocal cords vibrates to produce ^voice4).