When should hiccups be checked by a doctor?

When they last more than 48 hours

Hiccups Quiz: Diaphragm Spasms and Old Folk Cures

This hiccups quiz tries not to jump at a surprise hic. Play 10 interactive questions on the diaphragm spasm, the vocal cords snapping shut to make the sound, triggers like eating fast and fizzy drinks, hiccups in unborn babies, Charles Osborne's record of 68 years, folk cures like holding your breath, and when doctors should check persistent hiccups.

Start Hiccups Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Muscle
Which muscle spasms during hiccups?
Sound
What makes the hic sound?
Term
What is the medical name for hiccups?
Eat
Which habit can trigger hiccups?
Fizz
Which drink can trigger hiccups?
Baby
Who can hiccup before birth?
Record
How long did Charles Osborne hiccup?
Cure
Which folk cure is commonly tried?
Short
How long do most bouts last?
Doctor
When should hiccups be checked by a doctor?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which muscle spasms during hiccups?
Answer: The diaphragm
It sits below the lungs.
Q2: What makes the hic sound?
Answer: The vocal cords snapping shut
Air is suddenly stopped.
Q3: What is the medical name for hiccups?
Answer: Singultus
It comes from Latin.
Q4: Which habit can trigger hiccups?
Answer: Eating too fast
Swallowed air plays a role.
Q5: Which drink can trigger hiccups?
Answer: Fizzy drinks
Gas stretches the stomach.
Q6: Who can hiccup before birth?
Answer: Unborn babies
It may help train breathing muscles.
Q7: How long did Charles Osborne hiccup?
Answer: About 68 years
It is a famous record.
Q8: Which folk cure is commonly tried?
Answer: Holding your breath
Proof is limited.
Q9: How long do most bouts last?
Answer: Minutes
They usually stop on their own.
Q10: When should hiccups be checked by a doctor?
Answer: When they last more than 48 hours
Persistent hiccups can have causes.

The Mystery of the Hic

Hiccups are sudden involuntary spasms of the diaphragm, the dome-shaped muscle below the lungs. Each spasm pulls in air, and the vocal cords snap shut a split second later, producing the familiar hic sound. The medical name is singultus.

Triggers include eating too fast, swallowing air, fizzy drinks, big meals and sudden excitement. Unborn babies hiccup in the womb, perhaps training breathing muscles. Most bouts last only minutes, but Charles Osborne hiccupped for about 68 years, a famous record.

Folk cures abound, from holding your breath to sipping water or a spoonful of sugar, though proof that they work is limited. Hiccups lasting more than 48 hours should be checked by a doctor, as they can sometimes signal an underlying problem.

What This Quiz Teaches

Body science fans will enjoy these questions.

What causes hiccups
What makes the sound
Which triggers exist
Which records exist
When to see a doctor

Did You Know?

Laughing hard can trigger hiccups.
Some medicines cause hiccups.
Many mammals can hiccup.
Hiccups often come in a rhythm.
Being scared is a classic cure attempt.