Question

Hiccups can be best described as:

• A. Forceful sudden expiration
• B. Forceful contraction of intercostal muscles during deep breathing
• C. Vibration of the soft palate during breathing while sleeping
• D. Jerky incomplete inspiration

Answer 1

The correct option is D Jerky incomplete inspiration

Hiccups can be caused due to various reasons including swallowing/eating food very quickly. This results in the swallowing of too much air along with the food. A sudden involuntary contraction of diaphragm is observed in such cases, which, in turn, results in the closure of the vocal cords for a brief period of time. This causes the characteristic sound of the hiccup.