Why do we hiccup?
Do you really know? 
About this episode
Of all the involuntary spasms the human body has, hiccuping is one of the most peculiar. Sure, it’s funny at first, and in particular if it’s happening to someone else rather than you. But it quickly gets annoying if it doesn’t go away! There are two things to note when you have the hiccups. First, your respiratory muscles, and the diaphragm in particular, contract suddenly and push out air from within our lungs. Secondly, the epiglottis has a role to play. It can be found in the throat, and contracts, stopping air from entering. That’s what causes the vocal cords to vibrate, creating the distinctive hiccuping sound. What’s the best way to avoid getting hiccups? How long can a bout of hiccuping last? What about all the home remedies you hear about for hiccuping? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: Does the G spot really exist? Is it a good idea to fall asleep to music? What are the most popular and unusual baby names in the UK? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. First broadcast: 11/10/2022 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Listen to this episode in English to learn English
Podcast episodes are one of the highest-density ways to absorb English at native pace. Why do we hiccup? from Do you really know? gives you natural dialogue, unscripted speech, and vocabulary that actually appears in real conversations.
In the Clue app, every word in the transcript is tappable. Tap an unknown word, see the translation in your language instantly, and keep listening without breaking flow.