Dear Dr. K: I've been hiccupping for days. Please help! Dear
Reader: Most people have hiccups occasionally, and sometimes
they can last for days. What are they, and what can you do to
stop them? At the bottom of your lungs, separating your chest
from your abdomen, lies a flat, blanket-like muscle called the
diaphragm. It moves down when you take a breath in, creating
suction in your chest that helps pull air into your lungs. It
moves up when you breathe out, helping push air out of your
lungs. A hiccup is caused by a sudden contraction or spasm of
the diaphragm. It makes you inhale quickly and involuntarily.
Then the space in your throat near your vocal cords snaps shut,
producing the typical hiccup sound. Try making a hiccup sound:
You'll discover that you need to take in a quick breath, and
you'll feel something move in your throat. Of the many purported
ways to get rid of hiccups, here are a few that have some merit:
· Stimulate the uppermost region of your throat: Pull on your
tongue; put a teaspoon of gr