I woke up one Sunday morning relieved that I had a whole other day of peace and quiet before returning to school. So I got up to check my e-mail when all of a sudden. "Hic!" Oh no! I thought, not again! Yesterday I had them 4 times! "Hic!" "Hic!" Hic!"
What ARE these mysterious noises called? Well, they're called the hiccups and they are caused by your diaphragm, a round shaped muscle right below your rib cage. It all starts here!
The diaphragm is a muscle that usually works quite well. When you inhale, it helps pull the air down to get to your lungs. And when you exhale, it pushes up to help the air get out of your body. But occasionally, the diaphragm becomes irritated, and when this happens it pulls down in a jerky motion. That makes you suddenly pull air down into your throat. When the air hits your voicebox . . . "Hic!" You're left with a big, fat hiccup.
Hiccups usually occur when you eat too much or too quickly. Sometimes when you're feeling nervous or excited, or maybe your stomach or throat is irritated. For most people hiccups last about 10-30 minutes. But, sometimes hiccups will last for days, weeks, and one woman even had her hiccups for three years! But, don't worry! That usually only happens if you have some kind of medical problem.
There are many ways of getting rid of the hiccups. Standing on your head while drinking water, putting sugar on your tongue, and other ridiculous solutions. Here are a few that have worked for me:
1. Swallow your air a couple of times.
2. Drink as much water as you can without breathing.
3. Put your thumb on the lower half of your left palm and press. Some people say their is a vein there related to your diaphragm. I don't know if that's true or not but it's worked for me!
4. Hold your breath for as long as you can bear!
Well, it's been fun talking to you, but these hiccups are starting to make my whole body jump out of this chair I'm in.
This is msof57 going to go drink water. *click*
