We all know how frustrating it can be to get a bad case of the hiccups. A hiccup is an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm. Once the contraction occurs, it causes an intake of breath that is suddenly stopped by the vocal cords closing off. The closure of the vocal cords then produces a "hic" type of sound.
Hiccups can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to a few hours. They can be stopped by using natural home remedies to increase the level of carbon dioxide in the blood. Hiccups lasting over 48 hours are called persistent hiccups. If they have not gone away in that time period, please consult your family physician.