Hiccups are due to a sudden and involuntary contraction of the diaphragm. That’s the dome-shaped structure that separates the thoracic cavity, also known as the chest cavity, from the abdominal cavity. The diaphragm, which is made up of muscle and membranes, serves both as the floor of the thoracic cavity and the roof of the abdominal cavity. Its motion is responsible for your ability to inhale and exhale. The diaphragm also plays a role in sneezing, coughing, crying, vomiting and eliminating feces and urine.

When you’re breathing normally, the diaphragm contracts and flattens out, moving downward in a smooth motion as you inhale. The lungs expand into the added space, which allows air to enter. The exhale occurs when the diaphragm returns to its natural domed shape, which crowds the supple lung tissues and forces the air out. When something causes the diaphragm to flatten suddenly in a convulsive motion, the resulting inward rush of air causes the structures at the top of the windpipe, including the vocal cords, to snap shut. This makes the distinctive “hic” sounds that gives the hiccups their name.

You can get hiccups for no apparent reason. They are also associated with common triggers such as eating too much or too quickly; foods that are hot or spicy; fizzy beverages; alcohol; smoking; and emotional extremes, like stress, fear, or getting excited and laughing. In most cases, hiccups will clear up on their own, as quickly and mysteriously as they appeared.

When they last for more than a few days, or even a few weeks, they are known as persistent hiccups. When the condition lasts for more than a month, which is rare, they are referred to as intractable, or chronic, hiccups. For reasons that are not fully understood, these are more common in men than in women. Charles Osborne, a farmer in Iowa, had hiccups for 68 years, a fact that earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Persistent hiccups can interfere with eating, sleeping and quality of life, and people report success with hypnosis.

It’s always a good idea (and required for a session with me) to check with your family doctor first, because persistent hiccups can be associated with serious conditions, such as kidney disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and stroke. Blood, imaging or endoscopic tests may be used to see if an underlying medical condition is causing the episodes. After diagnosis, treatment can include hypnosis.

I also have a trick, for those of you who don’t have persistent hiccups, but occasionally are troubled by hiccups that go on a bit too long. Contact me to learn this easy self-care technique.