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Hiccups At Some Point in Your Life, You Have Probably Had

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Hiccups
At some point in your life, you have probably had the hiccups. Hiccups are caused by spasms in the diaphragm, a muscle located at the bottom of your chest. As we inhale, the diaphragm contracts, pulling air into the lungs. As we exhale, the diaphragm relaxes, pushing air back out through the mouth and nose. When we hiccup, the diaphragm jerks downward suddenly, pulling a quick burst of air into our lungs. As the air rushes into your body, it hits the voice box. This causes your vocal cords to snap shut, creating the sound we recognize as a hiccup.
Hiccups can be triggered by many different things-eating too much, drinking too fast, sudden change of temperature, stress, fatigue, nervousness, and even excessive laughter can all cause the hiccups. While there are many home remedies for hiccups, there is no evidence to suggest that any of them are actually effective. In fact, most cases of the hiccups go away on their own.
Although hiccups are usually harmless, they can be a sign of something more serious. Long-term hiccups might be a result of damage to the nerves that serve the diaphragm muscle. Persistent hiccups might also be caused by certain central nervous system disorders, traumatic brain injuries, drug abuse, or kidney disease.
Question: What is the primary cause of the characteristic sound that a hiccup makes?


Definitions:

Equilibrium Price

The cost at which the supply and demand for goods are exactly balanced in the market.

Fine

A sum of money required to be paid as a penalty for breaking the law or rules.

Supply Curve

A graphical representation showing the relationship between the price of a good and the quantity of the good that suppliers are willing to offer for sale.

Variable Costs

Expenses that vary directly with the level of production or output, such as raw materials and labor costs.

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