ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mr. Hiccup

Ok, kiddo, so you know how sometimes you get this funny feeling in your throat and you make a sound like "hiccup"? That's what people call a hiccup.

Now, a hiccup happens when your diaphragm, which is a big muscle that helps you breathe, suddenly contracts, or gets shorter and tighter. This contraction causes your breath to get stuck for a moment, which makes the sound of a hiccup.

It's kinda like when a balloon gets squeezed and air comes out in a funny noise.

Most times, hiccups go away on their own after a little while. But sometimes they can last longer and feel really annoying.

There are lots of ideas about how to stop hiccups, such as holding your breath or drinking water upside down. But really, the best thing to do is to just wait it out and try to relax. After all, hiccups won't hurt you and they will go away eventually.