• Question: Why do we get hiccups?

    Asked by to Kate, Kieren, Nicola, Rowena, Roy on 17 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Rowena Fletcher-Wood

      Rowena Fletcher-Wood answered on 17 Mar 2014:

      We’ve already had a similar question: “What causes us to hiccup?” so I’m going to repost my answer to that (sorry, lazy), but if you have any questions leading off that, reply in comments!

      My answer: “I only know a bit – involuntary muscle spasms in the diaphragm caused by not getting enough oxygen which is why it often happens when you eat and drink. Its a kind of shock response when the body panics because of this oxygen lack. In terms of why it would be useful for it to hiccup at this time – I have no idea. Probably because it is a shock response there isn’t a good reason for it: we do a lot of silly things when we are stressed or frightened!”

    • Photo: Kate Nicholson

      Kate Nicholson answered on 17 Mar 2014:

      Involuntary muscle spasms, once again thought (only a theory because we’re not so sure on this one) to be because there isn’t enough oxygen getting to the bottom parts of our lungs. I’m hoping someone else will have a better answer to this one because it’s one that’s always bugged me too!

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