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Have you ever had the hiccups and wondered what caused them? They are actually a really weird sound and are hard to control. Hiccups are caused by a sudden jerk in your diaphragm that causes you to breathe in air very quickly.

The diaphragm is the muscle in your chest that is located just below your lungs. When you breathe in, the air travels in your mouth and nose, through your windpipe and into your lungs. When your diaphragm jerks and you suck in air very quickly, the quick air flow causes the flap at the top of your windpipe to snap shut. This quick inflow of air and the snapping shut of the flap on your windpipe is the sound of hiccups.

But what causes your diaphragm to contract? Your brain sends a message down to your diaphragm telling it to contract. But, we really do not know why the brain sends this message.

How can you stop yourself from hiccuping? People will tell you many theories on how to stop the hiccups. The best method is the one that works best for you. One method is to breathe in and out of a paper bag. Another method is to sit upside down and plug your nose. Others suggest drinking a tall glass of water very quickly. Still others suggest that if you concentrate on your next hiccup they will stop. Who knows. Next time you get the hiccups try all of these methods and use what works best for you.