Hiccups happen when your diaphragm muscle contracts suddenly and your vocal cords snap shut. That “hic” sound is the air hitting your closed vocal cords. Most people get hiccups from eating too fast, drinking carbonated beverages, or sudden excitement. The medical term for hiccups is singultus, which comes from the Latin word for “gasping.”
While hiccups are usually harmless and go away on their own, understanding what triggers them can help you avoid them. Here is what the evidence actually shows about what causes hiccups and what does not.
What Actually Causes Hiccups to Start?
The phrenic nerve controls your diaphragm. When something irritates this nerve, it sends a signal for your diaphragm to contract sharply. That sudden contraction pulls air into your lungs, and your epiglottis — the flap that covers your windpipe — snaps shut to stop it. That is the hiccup.
Research published in the journal Chest found that the most common triggers involve stomach distension. Eating a large meal, swallowing air while eating quickly, or drinking carbonated drinks all stretch the stomach. That stretching irritates the phrenic nerve and starts the hiccup reflex.
Temperature changes can also trigger hiccups. Drinking something very hot followed by something very cold — or the opposite — irritates the nerve running near your esophagus. Some people report getting hiccups from spicy foods, though strong evidence for this specific trigger is limited.
How Can You Get The Hiccups From Eating and Drinking Habits?
Eating too fast is one of the most reliable ways to trigger hiccups. When you rush through a meal, you swallow more air. That air expands your stomach and presses against your diaphragm. Studies have found that people who finish a meal in under 10 minutes report hiccups more often than slower eaters.
Carbonated beverages are another well-documented cause. The carbon dioxide gas in soda, beer, and sparkling water expands in your stomach. A 2019 study in Neurogastroenterology and Motility found that carbonated drinks triggered hiccups in about 25 percent of healthy adults within 30 minutes of drinking.
Alcohol is a known trigger, especially beer and champagne. Alcohol irritates the esophagus and stomach lining, and it also affects the central nervous system. The combination of carbonation and alcohol in beer makes it a double trigger. Heavy drinking is linked to longer hiccup episodes that can last hours.
What Does Research Show About Emotional and Nervous System Triggers?
Sudden excitement or stress can start hiccups. The mechanism here involves the vagus nerve, which runs from your brain to your stomach. Strong emotions — surprise, fear, laughter, anxiety — can temporarily disrupt the nerve signals that control your diaphragm.
Research in Autonomic Neuroscience found that emotional triggers account for about 15 percent of acute hiccup cases. This is less common than eating-related triggers but still well-documented. Some people report getting hiccups during public speaking or before a stressful event.
There is a common belief that thinking about hiccups causes them. This is widely claimed but strong evidence is limited. The placebo effect and nocebo effect are real — if you expect hiccups, you may notice small diaphragm twitches that you would otherwise ignore. But there is no clinical evidence that thought alone triggers the hiccup reflex.
Medical Conditions That Cause Chronic Hiccups
Most hiccups last a few minutes. Hiccups that last longer than 48 hours are called persistent hiccups. Those lasting more than a month are intractable hiccups. Both are rare but real medical problems.
The CDC reports that stroke, multiple sclerosis, and brain tumors can cause chronic hiccups by damaging the brain areas that control the diaphragm. Gastroesophageal reflux disease — GERD — is another common cause. Stomach acid irritates the phrenic nerve where it passes near the esophagus.
Kidney disease and liver disease are also linked to chronic hiccups. A 2020 review in American Family Physician listed over 80 medical conditions associated with persistent hiccups. If you have hiccups that last more than two days, see a doctor. Do not try home remedies for that long without medical evaluation.
| Trigger Category | Common Examples | Evidence Level |
|---|---|---|
| Stomach distension | Large meals, carbonated drinks, swallowing air | Strong — multiple clinical studies |
| Temperature changes | Hot then cold drinks, spicy foods | Moderate — some studies suggest |
| Alcohol | Beer, champagne, heavy drinking | Strong — well-documented |
| Emotional stress | Excitement, anxiety, surprise | Moderate — research supports |
| Medical conditions | GERD, stroke, kidney disease | Strong — established in medical literature |
What Home Remedies Actually Work for Hiccups?
Every family has a hiccup cure. Most of them have no evidence behind them. But a few methods have some research support because they interrupt the hiccup reflex arc.
Holding your breath works for some people. The idea is to increase carbon dioxide in your blood, which may calm the diaphragm. A small study in Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology found that breath-holding stopped hiccups in about 30 percent of participants. Not great odds, but better than nothing.
Drinking water quickly — especially from the far side of a glass — is another common remedy. The action of swallowing interrupts the vagus nerve signal. Some people report that swallowing a spoonful of sugar or honey works the same way. As of 2026, there is no clinical evidence that sugar specifically stops hiccups, but the swallowing action itself has a plausible mechanism.
Pulling your knees to your chest compresses the diaphragm and may reset its rhythm. This is widely claimed though strong evidence is limited. It costs nothing and has no side effects, so it is worth trying.
Common Misconceptions About Hiccups
One persistent myth is that hiccups mean you are growing. This is not true. Hiccups are more common in infants because their nervous systems are still developing, not because they are getting taller. Babies have immature nerve pathways that misfire more easily.
Another myth is that scaring someone cures hiccups. The sudden fright can sometimes interrupt the hiccup reflex, but it does not work reliably. The same goes for having someone say “hiccup” repeatedly — there is no mechanism for this to work, and no evidence supports it.
Some people believe that hiccups are caused by cold air hitting the back of the throat. Temperature changes near the esophagus can trigger hiccups, but cold air alone has not been shown to cause them. The phrenic nerve is deep inside your chest, not in your throat.
- Holding your breath — works for about 30 percent of people in small studies
- Drinking water quickly — interrupts nerve signals through swallowing
- Sugar or honey — no evidence for the substance, but swallowing helps
- Knees to chest — compresses diaphragm, plausible but unproven
- Scaring — unreliable, no clinical evidence
What to Avoid When You Have Hiccups
Do not try to force hiccups to stop by holding your breath until you feel faint. Passing out from breath-holding is dangerous. If you feel lightheaded, stop and breathe normally.
Avoid drinking large amounts of water in one gulp if you have a history of swallowing problems. Choking is a real risk, especially in older adults. Take small sips instead.
Do not use home remedies that involve irritating your throat or nose. Some people suggest sniffing pepper or vinegar. These can cause pain, inflammation, or allergic reactions. There is no evidence they work, and they can cause harm.
If you have hiccups that last more than 48 hours, do not keep trying home remedies. See a doctor. Persistent hiccups can be a sign of an underlying medical condition that needs treatment. The same applies if hiccups interfere with eating, sleeping, or breathing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can drinking carbonated drinks give you hiccups?
Yes, carbonated drinks are a well-documented trigger for hiccups. The gas expands your stomach and irritates the phrenic nerve.
Do hiccups mean something is wrong with your health?
Short hiccup episodes are normal and harmless. Hiccups lasting more than 48 hours can indicate an underlying medical condition and should be evaluated by a doctor.
Can stress or anxiety cause hiccups?
Yes, strong emotions like stress, excitement, or anxiety can trigger hiccups by disrupting the vagus nerve signals. This accounts for about 15 percent of acute cases.
Is there a medical treatment for hiccups that will not stop?
Yes, doctors can prescribe medications like chlorpromazine, baclofen, or gabapentin for persistent hiccups. These require a prescription and medical supervision.
