sometimes a single hiccup happens, or they may happen over and over, a few times each minute, in a series called a "bout" of hiccups. hiccups are rhythmic: the time between one hiccup and the next usually doesn't change much. a bout of hiccups generally ends by itself, without having to doing anything to end it on purpose. many home remedies (cures) are often tried to attempt to shorten how long the hiccups last, because hiccups can be uncomfortable and make it hard to pay attention to other things. it is rare that medical help is necessary because it is rare that they last long enough to cause any harm.