triggers hiccups

Hiccups are extremely common and are experienced by most people at some time in their life; but what triggers hiccups? Basically the thing that triggers hiccups is irritation in the diaphragm - covered on several other pages on this site!

Activities or events that triggers hiccups can be an irritation in the stomach or the throat, or feeling nervous or excited. Also, sudden changes in ambient or gastric temperature, and use of alcohol and/or tobacco in excess triggers hiccups. Hysteria, shock, fear, and trauma can cause it, as well as hot drinks, spicy food and bouts of prolonged laughter - they all trigger hiccups.

Almost all cases of what ever triggers a bout of hiccups last only a few minutes. Women and men appear to be equally affected, although prolonged and intractable cases are more common in men. Eighty-two percent of persistent or intractable episodes occur in men. However it is well known that pregnancy triggers hiccups.