Hick ups are the sudden and involuntary spasms of the diaphragm muscle, which has a vital role in our breathing. When you have hick ups this muscle continuously has spasms and makes us to breath in very quickly. When we draw breath that quick, our vocal cords suddenly close and the hick up voice sounds. There are more than 100 causes of hick ups.

Usually these causes are harmless. Sometimes laughing, consuming a lot of alcohol, eating quickly, drinking fizzy drinks can trigger hick ups. The majority of the hick ups is insignificant and automatically disappear. However, this does not mean that every hick up can be neglected.

Emotional factors and stress can cause hick ups. Anxiety and stress causes the oscillation of the hormones that stimulate the diaphragm and therefore, spasms in the diaphragms known as hick ups appear.

There are different causes of hick ups in men and women. The cause of hick ups in women is 93% psychological and this rate is 7% in men. Especially hick ups that last longer than one month can be a symptom of series of diseases from infections to cancer, such as cardiac dialatation, heart attack, pneumonia, nervous system diseases, stomach disorders, reflux, oesophagus occlusion.  Also, it can be seen after surgical operations.