Today In History; Longest Attack of Hiccups Begin

1922: Charlie Osborne is known for having the longest attack of hiccups. The dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of your chest is the diaphragm. This muscle helps you breathe and sing. It is also where hiccups begin. The diaphragm functions by pulling down when you inhale to help pull air into the lungs. When you exhale, the diaphragm pushes air out of the lungs.

When the diaphragm becomes irritated it pushes up in a way that makes your breath come out differently than normal: a hiccup. Some things that cause hiccups are eating too quickly or too much, an irritation in the stomach or the throat, or feeling nervous or excited. Almost all cases of the hiccups last only a few minutes.