Synchronous Diaphragmatic Flutter

Or more commonly known as...
The Hiccups.


Have you ever been somewhere, somewhere quiet and important like a meeting or gathering of some sort, and all of the sudden you get an awful gulpy feeling in your throat and you let out a very loud, and embarrassing "hiccup"? Haha. Yes. It happens to me all too often. In fact, that is why I decided to do this blogpost. The other day I was at photography show. It was a very quiet, very proper kind of show. Everyone dressed up and sipping wine. And yes. I got the hiccups. And had everyone staring at me. And the first one was very loud and very embarrassing. It sent my sister into a muffled but uncontrollable laughing fit. Quite the show.

Hiccups have always interested me. I can't ever decide if I love or hate the fact that there is no clear reason for hiccups. The are a simply a phenomenon.

It is known that hiccups are an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm. Read this Wikipedia excerpt -

[A hiccup or hiccough (pronounced /ˈhɪkəp/ hik-əp) is a myoclonus of the diaphragm that repeats several times per minute. In humans, the abrupt rush of air into the lungs causes the vocal cords to close, creating a "hic" sound. In medicine it is known as synchronous diaphragmatic flutter (SDF), or singultus, from the Latin singult, "the act of catching one's breath while sobbing" ]

Some people say eating too fast, eating spicy foods, carbonated drinks, dry foods, sudden excitement and alcohol can all cause the hiccups.

There is no "set in stone" treatment for the hiccup. Every individual claims their own remedy. My sister swears drinking water upside down works. Is that even possible? I've heard eating peanut butter works. Holding sugar on your tongue. Holding your breath. Constantly taking tiny sips or water until you can no longer breath. Making yourself sneeze. Any my favorite - have them scared out of you. Now, I don't know if any of these remedies actually work. But those are the ones I've heard. If you've got more or one you swear will work post it in the comments.

While mostly harmless some hiccups are a little more on the chronic side. In fact, one man (he holds the record) had hiccups non stop for 68 years. Can you imagine?

I heard of one guy who had them for like 50ish years and finally one day they stopped. He died the next day.

Jennifer Mee was a teen who had a chronic case. She hiccuped 50 times a minute for 5 weeks.


Now, this is my belief and you don't have to believe it if you don't want to BUT I believe the hiccups are contagious. Go on ahead and call me crazy. Its truth. Without fail if one person in my family gets the hiccups either later that day or the next day someone else will have them. It is without fail. Perhaps its all in the head. Maybe you subconsciously think about the hiccups and you subconsciously breath funny and you get the hiccups. I don't know. I just know somehow they are contagious. For another example the other day I was reading something a friend wrote which contained the word "hiccup". About ten minutes later I started hiccuping. I'm sorry but there's no way its coincidence.

I'd love to hear any funny hiccup stories or cures so be sure to post yours in the comments! Sorry if I've caused any readers to get hiccups. ;)

Until next time,
Juliana.