It’s known that sneezing is a reflex to prevent dust or nose hairs or whatever from getting down into the lungs, but why do people and animals sometimes get hiccups? What function does that serve, and what causes them?

Also, bonus points for any random useful tips on how to make hiccups go away…

  • 1rre@discuss.tchncs.de
    1·
    1 year ago

    I read (this morning) that there’s a theory that hiccups are a reflex to pump air across one’s gills, and are more common in foetuses & premature babies as their lungs aren’t fully developed…

    So I guess if that is the case (as it’s a theory) then yes, just not in humans - they’re remnants of over 300 million years ago