Have you ever heard that fright makes the hiccups stop? But after all, is it worth the risk of getting a “startle” at this moment? At the moment of fright, the body releases adrenaline, a substance that restores the normal functioning of the phrenic nerve, making the hiccups stop. But for fright to exert this influence, a person needs to be truly frightened.
The phrenic nerve controls the movements of the diaphragm, the main muscle responsible for breathing. The hiccup, closing of the glottis that occurs independently of our will, can also be stopped by drinking a glass of water with the nose covered.
Another attempt to make the hiccup stop is to hold your breath for a few seconds, so the gas rate carbon dioxide in the body is increased, which causes the phrenic nerve to inhibit and then go back to work correctly.
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
By Patricia Lopes
Brazil School Team
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
LOPES, Patricia. "Does fright make the hiccups stop?";
Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/curiosidades/o-susto-faz-soluco-parar.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
