What are the different kinds of hiccups?

Benign hiccups normally only last for a few minutes. We all get hiccups. Foetuses and other mammals get hiccups too.

Persistent hiccups can last for more than 48 hours and refractory hiccups more than a month. Chronic hiccups can continue for several months or even several years. Did you know that Charles Osborne had hiccups for 68 years?

What causes hiccups?

Hiccups can be caused by consuming fizzy drinks or a particularly large meal, eating too quickly or by swallowing air while eating. These cause the stomach to distend, which irritates the diaphragm. As air struggles to reach the trachea and the lungs, this triggers a vibration of the vocal chords, at the epiglottis.

The medical term for hiccups is diaphragmatic myoclonus, which means a short involuntary muscle jerk of the diaphragm.