1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you welcome to stuff you should know 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: from house Stuff Works dot Com? Hey, and welcome to 4 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 1: the podcast. Really sure? Okay, I'm Josh Clark. That's Chuck Bryant. Hello. 5 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: I think I said the same thing last time. I 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: think you did. Hello the jerk. I am Hi, Dare 7 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: that's much better, Chuck, what's up? Spice it up a 8 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: little bit? It's up. Maybe get the frenic nerve irritated. 9 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: I'll look at you. Yeah, perfect, so texted hermy Chuck. 10 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: Now we already did that. Yes, okay, Um, we're talking 11 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: about hiccups today. Huh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Chuck. What 12 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: do you know about hiccups? Man? Have you ever had 13 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: them before? I have, Josh, and I will talk about 14 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: a famous about of my hiccups later. Okay, when we 15 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: talk about being drunk? Oh yeah, yeah, sure, yeah, um, 16 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: But should we go ahead set this up? Yeah? Chuck 17 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: actually has a fairly ticklish constitution when it comes to hiccups. Uh. 18 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: And he has in his hand a be brand root beer. Uh. 19 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: And he's about to open it and try to give 20 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: himself hiccups because he says that it doesn't take very 21 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: much that we're gonna see it. That's the brand root beer. 22 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: Sometimes drinking a carbonated beverage will many times we'll do hiccups. 23 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: So my goal is to have hiccups through the episode. 24 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 1: So we'll see what happens. Okay, here he goes he's 25 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 1: he's drinking the root beer. He's chugging the root here right, 26 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 1: look at him. Go you go, chuck. Oh, he's got 27 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:45,399 Speaker 1: a look of grim determination on his face. He's taking 28 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: too long tips so far. He's looking at the root beer. 29 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: Excuse me. And there's a little birth right there. This 30 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: is hiccups, Chuck, not burpec. I got nothing. We'll keep trying. 31 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: His eyes are a little watery. Yeah, I feel it. 32 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: Uh and um he's you can take take it faster, faster, set. 33 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 1: He looks pain. He's got some carbonation in his lungs. 34 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: It looks like, man, that you have to No, no, 35 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 1: I don't have to down it. Chug. I have that 36 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 1: cold thing now on my chest. Well, actually cold is 37 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:18,239 Speaker 1: one way that hiccups are Um activated, I guess yeah, 38 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: And I think that's what happens when I drink the soda. 39 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: That's what happens. Yeah, how disappointing. Nine times out of ten, 40 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: I'll get hiccups the one time I need him, don't 41 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:27,519 Speaker 1: worry about. We'll just have Jerry put some hiccups and 42 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: we'll say, oh, look, listen, there's hiccuping crazy. Let's give 43 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 1: some hiccup facts, shall we? Oh? Wait, listener requests, Okay, 44 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: this is must be fan appreciation. Wait, because we did 45 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 1: two in a row. And this is from Jess in 46 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: Portland's Thank you Jess, and she was all, what up 47 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: with hiccups? Yo? Is that what she said? Now? All right, Chuck, Yes, sir, 48 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 1: did you know that you have a lifelong specific hiccup pattern? 49 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: I did not till I read this, and that is 50 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: way cool. Yeah. I don't know what mine is. Oh 51 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: as far as recognizing it, yeah, yeah, I've never charted 52 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 1: mine now, and I couldn't find anything else on some 53 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: uh you know, an additional outside research hunt. Um, I 54 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,239 Speaker 1: couldn't find anything on that on specific hiccup patterns, like 55 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: if there's five or six, or if it's just you know, 56 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: there's as many as there are people that kind of thing, 57 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 1: like your fingerprint, right and snowflakes. Uh. There's also the 58 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: fact that the average hiccup spell can last for a 59 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 1: few minutes to a few hours. I've never had one 60 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:35,839 Speaker 1: last a few hours. I start to get angry after 61 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: a couple of minutes, and I'll just take a huge 62 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: deep breath and that usually cures it. Actually, yeah, I've 63 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: got my cures too, but I'll talk about those later. 64 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: And there's actually, um, you've heard of people who have 65 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: um horrifically long bouts of hiccups, right, there's actually medical 66 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: terms for these. If your hiccups have lasted, um, I 67 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: think longer than forty eight hours, they're called person extant hiccups. 68 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: I would agree with that. And then if they lasted 69 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: longer than a month, they're called intractable hiccups. And this 70 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: is actually I found out, um, that's very prevalent among 71 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: patients with AIDS. Intractable hiccups are. Yeah, and I found 72 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: a study that said, uh that at least in one patient, 73 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: medical marijuana or I guess even just playing marijuana cures it. Interesting. Yeah, 74 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: they had a patient I think in Spain, had intractable 75 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,039 Speaker 1: hiccups and tried marijuana for the first time in his life. 76 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 1: And uh, it cured it, and then I think twenty 77 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: four hours later it came back again. The patient used 78 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:41,720 Speaker 1: marijuana second time, and that was the hiccups. You know 79 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: what what people with intractable hiccups called their hiccups? Hell, 80 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: those both hiccups. I can't get rid of. That's a 81 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 1: medical term. Too nice. Wow, Um, my face is bread. 82 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 1: I'm blessing a little bit least chuck. There's a question 83 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 1: that's plagued human kind? Can you tell us the twenty 84 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: first century? I said, human kind? Said plagued, plagued, plagued 85 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:14,599 Speaker 1: human kind um for millennia, and that's why do we hiccup? 86 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: And actually we don't have an answer for that, No, 87 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:23,160 Speaker 1: we don't know. Uh. The Greek physician Galen hypothesized that 88 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: it was angry emotions that were created in the stomach 89 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 1: coming out. It's a stamp, it's it's a shot at it. Right. 90 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 1: I love the Greeks. It's as good as any others. 91 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: And actually I found another um another explanation that was 92 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: posited in two thousand three by researchers at the PT. 93 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: Saltpetriere Hospital in Perry. Thank you. Um. They hypothesized that 94 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: us hiccup ng is a relic from our time spent 95 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: in the very distant past as amphibians. They said that 96 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: there is a very close similarity to gil ventilation, which 97 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: is how amphibians breathe because they also have lungs, so 98 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: they have to close their lungs to breathe, but they 99 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 1: also they have gills as well, right right, And then 100 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: the the water has to pass over the guilds without 101 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: going into the lungs to take a short, quick breath, 102 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: and the epiglottis closes. And we'll talk about how a 103 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 1: hiccup works in a second. But the guil ventilation in 104 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: amphibians and hiccuping in humans and mammals, by the way, 105 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: um are very similar. So they went a little further 106 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: and said, and you know what, here's here's the drum 107 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: roll part um. The brain circuitry that controls guil ventilation 108 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: in amphibians is still present in mammals. Yeah, so they're 109 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: saying that they think that this is a it's a 110 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: relic leftover from our very very very ancient past, isn't it. 111 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 1: You know? What I also thought was interesting was the 112 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 1: recapitulation theory, or part of it proposes that fetuses actually 113 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: use hiccups as part of their respiration before their lungs 114 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: are fully developed, right, and they actually do. The theory 115 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: part comes in is to why um, and that is 116 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 1: that basically it's that it's it's akin to how we 117 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: learn to crawl before we learn to walk, or we 118 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: can crawl before we can walk. We can hiccup before 119 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: we can breathe. Normally, we should start saying that, you know, 120 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: you got a hiccup before you can breathe. People get 121 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 1: what it would be, like, Hey, we're the woman on 122 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: the top, you're gonna say that. Um. And that that's 123 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: actually supported by the fact that premies spend two point 124 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 1: five of their little premi life hiccupping, And that's a 125 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: lot more than regular full term babies. They're sitting there 126 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: like like they don't have it hard enough up all 127 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: the time. I weigh three pounds and I'm hiccupping. Give 128 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: me a break. And apparently UM hormones can play a 129 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: role in hiccupping. Women who who are in the first 130 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: two weeks of their mentor will cycle hiccup more UM 131 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 1: than pregnant women do. Uh. So, there's a whole grab 132 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: bag of questions attached to hiccup ng. You're more likely 133 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: to hit up in the evening exactly, and you hick 134 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: up less as you get older. Yeah. I think that's 135 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: all the little factoids. Right, So we've we've got all 136 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: these this information. No answers whatsoever as to exactly why 137 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: we hiccup. None, I kind of I subscribe to the 138 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: recapitulation theory frankly. Yeah, um, but we do know what happens. 139 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: We do know the physiology of a hiccup, right, Yeah, 140 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:36,559 Speaker 1: that's the easy part. And it all comes down to 141 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: the frenic nerves, which after reading this article I have 142 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: concluded the frenic nerves are the sissiest nerves of all. Yeah. 143 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: The vegas nerves are in there too, I found out. 144 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: Uh they if they get annoyed, and then you can 145 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 1: hiccup as well. Right. So the frenic nerve right, Uh, 146 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 1: it controls the diaphragm. And the diaphragm is that muscle 147 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 1: that goes over your big belly and under your rib cage. 148 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: You're so it's it's in between the stomach and the abdomen. Right, 149 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,319 Speaker 1: it goes down when we inhale, ye try, it goes 150 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: up when we exhale, so it helps out the breathing process. 151 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: Did you hear that horrible struggle for breath? And it's 152 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 1: like yeah. So when we are breathing, we're taking an 153 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: air through the nose in the mouth, right, and it 154 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: flows through the pharynx, past the glottis and into the 155 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: larynx and trachea, which eventually terminate into the lungs. Right, 156 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: and then it follows a opposite path on the way 157 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: out as we exhale. That phrenic nerve that controls the 158 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 1: diaphragm uh is, as I said, kind of sissy, a 159 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: little prissy, kind of a punk uh. And any time 160 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 1: it gets irritated, well I shouldn't say any time, but 161 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 1: when it's irritated, uh, it can induce an abdominal spasms up. Well, 162 00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:59,440 Speaker 1: that's part of a hiccup. Hiccup is a quick, short 163 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: breath we take aken because our diaphragm is spasming, right, yes, um. 164 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 1: And then what makes the hiccup sound is the epiglottis, 165 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: that little piece of tissue that covers the glottis and 166 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: keeps you know, um, this beat brand root beer from 167 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:16,319 Speaker 1: going into your lungs when you're drinking it. Yeah, I 168 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,320 Speaker 1: hate it when that happens, closes all of a sudden 169 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:22,439 Speaker 1: and there's your hiccup. That is what a hiccup is, yes, 170 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: right the end. What are some of the things that 171 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: can cause that little frenic nerve to throw a tantrum chuck? Well, 172 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 1: Josher's there's only a few things that can cause this. Uh. 173 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: One of the main things that can happen is that 174 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: you over eat and you've got a full stomach, so 175 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 1: you're sollowing too much food or air. Your stomach too 176 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 1: stands and gets all fat and it pushes against the 177 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 1: frenic nerves and they're like, oh, you ate too much hiccup, right, 178 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: So that's one way. Another one is, um, add hot food, 179 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: spicy food to that, and you're you're doubling your chances 180 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: because it hot foods will irritate your frenic nerves as well. 181 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: And the last thing is, uh, smoking is not good. 182 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:08,079 Speaker 1: Excessive smoking and drinking can also cause hiccups. Or like 183 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 1: we propose with my thing with a with a coke 184 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: and the root beer. Um, a rapid temperature change inside 185 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: the stomach, like drinking something really cold or really hot, right, 186 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: So that can all irritate. The little was uh, frandic 187 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 1: nerves and frandic almost ad frantic. I think it is 188 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: a little frandic. If not hysteric, it should be the 189 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:28,079 Speaker 1: hysteric nerve, right, and then stress and emotion on the 190 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: psychological side that can cause them too, and mental illness too. 191 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: I couldn't find anything on this. I saw a couple 192 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: of mentions that mental illness uh is linked to hiccups, right, 193 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:41,559 Speaker 1: But I couldn't find any um anything further than that. 194 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: But I did find out that you can use chloropromosine, 195 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: which is an antipsychotic, to cure long term hiccups. Did 196 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 1: you know that? No? I didn't, So that that kind 197 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: of points to mental illness a little bit or some 198 00:11:56,080 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: sort of connection interesting and mental hiccups, Yes, and another 199 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: layman's term for O c D. Really Yeah, that's a 200 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: good band name to mental hiccups. Yeah, Actually it's kind 201 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:09,839 Speaker 1: of lame. So my story since we brought up the 202 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:14,679 Speaker 1: drunk thing was I famously had hiccups in Athens one night, 203 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:16,719 Speaker 1: and this is after I graduated. I went back to 204 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 1: see the Flaming Lips at forty and I had hiccups 205 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:24,959 Speaker 1: for about six hours straight and I had imbibed a 206 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 1: bit much, so it was kind of one of those nights. 207 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: It was. I was the butt of many jokes because 208 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 1: I was walking around and kind of doing this and 209 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: if you know it, it lasted forever. It was awful. 210 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 1: What did Wayne Coyne have to say about it? He said, 211 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: you need to be hit to death in the future 212 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,559 Speaker 1: head okay, which is one of their albums. That just 213 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:47,959 Speaker 1: made that up. Oh he didn't really say that, no, 214 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,959 Speaker 1: but it is one of their albums. I'm sorry I 215 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 1: lie so much to you. Let's say that you've eaten 216 00:12:55,760 --> 00:13:01,079 Speaker 1: a lot of Indian food, you've smoked a pact cigarettes, 217 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 1: drink a cord of crazy Horse, and you followed it 218 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 1: with a big old glass of coffee. You have no 219 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 1: regard whatsoever for the sensation in your hands, um, and 220 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: your frenic nerve is going berserk, perserker like a mad Viking. Yeah, mushrooms, Um, 221 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 1: what are some of the things you can do aside 222 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: from taking you know, antipsychotics to cure hiccups? Are we 223 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 1: getting into the cures now? Because boy, there's a lot 224 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: of them, and even if we read twenty we'll get 225 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 1: a thousand more from people. I was going to call 226 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,199 Speaker 1: for it a listener mail. Yeah, we'll get them for sure. Um, 227 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:45,319 Speaker 1: there are a few medical things that have been uh well, 228 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 1: nothing has been proven to be more effective. It kind 229 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: of comes down to the person. And I think a 230 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: lot of it's mental. Well, if you think one of 231 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,199 Speaker 1: them will work for you, then that's the one you use, 232 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 1: and that might work. And people aren't exactly sure how. 233 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,840 Speaker 1: But mental distraction actually can cure hiccups, right, that's true, 234 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: especially if somebody comes up to you and demands that 235 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: you hiccup on the spot. I've never heard that one. Um, 236 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,719 Speaker 1: you haven't. No, Like, if you've got the hiccups, they'll say, 237 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: hiccup right, Well, what if you just hiccup? You're like, dude, 238 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:15,439 Speaker 1: that's my problem. I'm hiccuping. I didn't say it was good, 239 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 1: but I'm just saying it's been shown to cure it 240 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: in some people. They should go and say, don't hiccup, right, 241 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: Like I said, I've I've uh, I can draw in 242 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: a big breath of air and that usually cures it. Right. 243 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 1: That's not my method, but I'm gonna I'm gonna save that. Uh. 244 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 1: Most of the best home remedies actually work. Stimulate the 245 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 1: naso pharynx, and that's a part of the pharynx behind 246 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 1: the tonsils and uh like drinking from the opposite side 247 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: of the glass. You've heard that one. Biting into a 248 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: lemon or pulling on your tongue sometimes that will actually 249 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: uh stimulate the naso pharynx and that will work. It's 250 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: also you can also just do it with your tongue itself, 251 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: the tip of your tongue, if you rub it against 252 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: the very back of the roof of your mouth. Yeah, 253 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 1: tickling the roof of your mouth. That that can help. 254 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: It can. It also keeps you from yawning interesting or 255 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: tickling period. They say, if you're a ticklish person, gets 256 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: someone to tickle you, and you might just forget about hiccuping. 257 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 1: And if you're not a ticklish person, you have no soul. 258 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: That's true. Uh. Most of the breathing things, um might 259 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: work because you're actually interrupting your respiratory cycle. So if 260 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: you do the paperbag trick or down a glass of 261 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: water really quick, that's that's the reason why that'll work. 262 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 1: Mine is I do the same thing with the breath thing, 263 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 1: but I don't inhale and take a big breath. I 264 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: exhale every bit of air I can and then put 265 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: my hand over my mouth and close my nose and 266 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: literally go till I'm about to pass out, and then 267 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: I'll breathe like try and breathe very calmly when I 268 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 1: come back, and usually that will work. So you do 269 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: the exact opposite of what I do. Well, you draw 270 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 1: in a big breath and then hold it. You exhale 271 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: all of your breath. That's what I do. But both ways, 272 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:58,000 Speaker 1: I think we're interrupting a respiratory cycle. Chuck, Josh. There's 273 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: all sorts of medical um treatments, right, Some are some 274 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: are cool, like antipsychotics or medical marijuana. Yeah. This is 275 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: if you are have persistent or intractable hiccups. So right, yeah, 276 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 1: if you you know, start hiccupping and immediately getting your 277 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: car and go see a doctor, what's wrong with you? 278 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 1: But that being said, uh, it does. It is advised 279 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: that if you have hiccups that last for forty eight hours, 280 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: do go see a doctor because it can be kind 281 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 1: of a problem when you go see the doctor. In 282 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: addition to possibly prescribing antipsychotics, medical marijuana depending on your state. Uh. 283 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: The doctor may also prescribe a digital rectal exam. I 284 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: think that that kind of falls into the mental distraction category. Really, 285 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: maybe we're not talking ones and zeros here when we 286 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: talk about digital we're talking about something you might digits 287 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: of your hand, might find in prison. Perhaps digits another 288 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 1: another term for fingers. Yeah, I don't know why that 289 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: would work, but apparent I'm telling you it's the mental 290 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 1: district You're like, whoa, whoa and what cups? You know 291 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: have a much bigger problem than hiccuffs. Uh. They will 292 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 1: sometimes tap or rub, rub the back of your neck, 293 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 1: massage the Cartoyd sinus, which is in your neck charatid. 294 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:18,880 Speaker 1: What did I say Cartoyd? Like Cartoyd it is karatid, 295 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 1: You're right. Or apply pressure to your eyeball to stimulate 296 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:24,639 Speaker 1: the nerves of your diaphragm. But we should also c 297 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:27,199 Speaker 1: o a here and say, don't go mashing on your 298 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: eyeball too hard. That's not very smart. No, you can 299 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 1: pull on your tongue, but don't mash your eyeball or 300 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: sticky sticking your finger in your ears sometimes we'll do it, 301 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 1: but also don't stick something foreign in your ear. And uh, 302 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: you know, massage your brain. You don't want to do that. 303 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 1: Nothing bigger than the end of a football, Is that 304 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 1: what they say? Really? Yeah? I thought you're just making 305 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 1: that up. No. Um. There's also surgery to basically disconnect 306 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 1: your frenic nerve or parts of it, make it a 307 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 1: little less prissy. Um. And there is also emptying your 308 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,920 Speaker 1: stomach through a tube inserted into your nose or mouth. 309 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: That's pretty harsh. I think I'd rather have hiccups. Yeah, 310 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: I say that, though I've never had them for forty 311 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,399 Speaker 1: eight hours or more. Though now I can't imagine when 312 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,200 Speaker 1: you sleep you're still having them in your sleep. That'd 313 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 1: be awful. Let's talk about a couple of people who 314 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: have slept through hiccup bouts. All right, Charles Chucky Osbourne. 315 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: I don't know that this man had an actual life 316 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 1: as far as a quality life goes. Imagine he got 317 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 1: used to it. Do you think you would at for 318 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,200 Speaker 1: sixty eight years? Yes? But isn't it annoying? Though? Isn't 319 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 1: the aren't hiccups one of those things that you just 320 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 1: can't help but find annoying If somebody around you as 321 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 1: hiccups like it almost brings out like this anger response 322 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 1: in people when it doesn't go away fast enough. Yeah, 323 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,239 Speaker 1: it's annoying. But like I said, Charles Osborne had him 324 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 1: for sixty eight years. He had him from nineteen twenty 325 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: two to nineteen nine, and they estimate Guinness season a 326 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 1: Guinness Book of course, that he had four hundred and 327 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 1: thirty million hiccups over that span. And I'm curious if 328 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:00,119 Speaker 1: if he died in nineteen nine and that's that is 329 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:02,680 Speaker 1: the end of the run, well, I don't know, or 330 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 1: if he was just cured. I'm sure we can find 331 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,120 Speaker 1: that out. Uh. There was also a Florida teen named 332 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 1: Jennifer me She hiccuped for five weeks in two thousand seven. 333 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 1: I actually remember that one, and then she was on 334 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 1: the Today, so I think really so she stopped for 335 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 1: a little while and then they returned a few weeks later, 336 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:21,879 Speaker 1: much sure, dismay and um, I think she does not 337 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 1: have hiccups any longer though, which is good. Well. Yeah, 338 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: another couple of people, Josh, another Florida person, Jamie mostly 339 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: hiccup for eight months, and David Willis of Narrathon Eiland 340 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: Uh had two unsuccessful surgeries with a five year hiccup 341 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,119 Speaker 1: or deal. Yeah, that's awful. You have the surgery and 342 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: it still comes back. Could you imagine anything worse to 343 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:47,680 Speaker 1: surgeries and it still comes back. Well, that's what would 344 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 1: be worse. If you want to learn more about hiccups, 345 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: I would recommend pulling your tongue, eating a spoonful of sugar, 346 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 1: and moving from Florida drinking moderation. Yes, oh wait, you 347 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: know what. There was one more that I used to do, 348 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:05,920 Speaker 1: and I think this is all mental. I was told 349 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 1: that if you strike a match and then put the 350 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:10,920 Speaker 1: match out in a in a glass of water and 351 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: then drink that water real quick, that'll do it. Weird, 352 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 1: but I think that's the water drinking method combined with 353 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 1: just some mind games personally or sulfur. Well, I thought 354 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,440 Speaker 1: about that. I don't know if that's true. If you 355 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:24,920 Speaker 1: want to learn more about hiccups and see some cool 356 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 1: diagrams of a diaphram, you can type in hiccups at 357 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: the handy search bar at how stuff works dot com, 358 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 1: which means this time for listener mail, Josh, I'm gonna 359 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 1: call this one goaded into being on listener mail? Goadd go? 360 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 1: Did this guy goaded me go? Did basically dared me 361 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: to put him on listener mail, and you felt for 362 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 1: I was like, you know what, dude, I will. You can't. 363 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 1: Can't reward that kind of behavior. Reverse I called you Chuck, Okay, 364 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: Josh and Chuck. I've made no secretive fact that I 365 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:03,879 Speaker 1: think your podcasts are great. I've also openly declared a 366 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 1: singular mission to achieve global notoriety by getting you guys 367 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 1: to say hello to me and listener mail. I don't 368 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 1: know about global notoriety. He he was written in a 369 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:15,200 Speaker 1: few times and I didn't fall for it, so finally 370 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 1: to keep him from emailing me again. That's why I'm 371 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: reading this. I've noted in recent weeks a pattern in 372 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 1: your way to choose you choose your mail. You invariably 373 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: choose mail from those of younger persuasion, generally in high 374 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 1: school or below. So premise one you must be young. 375 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:32,400 Speaker 1: I've also noted that you tend to like the mail 376 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 1: that is either written poorly or in some form of 377 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,160 Speaker 1: broken pigeon English. Premise to use bad English. I would 378 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,880 Speaker 1: also like to suggest that while you are often balanced 379 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 1: and seemingly devoid of ego related behavior, uh, you love 380 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:50,719 Speaker 1: it when people claim to be a big fan. Well, 381 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: of course we do. Um, So premise number three, say 382 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: I'm your number one fan, actually has nothing to do 383 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: with smail. Uh. Finally, there usually has to be something 384 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: slightly witty, but not more witty than you. This guy 385 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: is dead on. Oh that's not true. I love it 386 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:10,679 Speaker 1: when people are funnier than me. So premise number four 387 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: is be smart but not too smart, which is not true. 388 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 1: I've come to realize that I am not young. Indeed, 389 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: I think I'm about your age. My English is pretty good. 390 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: I did go to university. Some one would expect a 391 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: certain level of literacy. Uh no, he's not. He's Australian. 392 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:28,919 Speaker 1: I am well aware that while a fan, I am 393 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:31,880 Speaker 1: most likely not your number one fan. In fact, I'd 394 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: be very disappointed if I was your number one fan, 395 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: because I am not that good at being a groupie. Finally, 396 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,440 Speaker 1: this is the strange one to type out. I think 397 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: I'm smart, Not Hadrian Collider smart. I've read Chaucer smart, 398 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 1: but certainly smart enough to keep up with you guys. 399 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:51,680 Speaker 1: Keeping typing that feels weird, he says. So. Not willing 400 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 1: to be fraudulent, I will simply continue to send you 401 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:57,000 Speaker 1: one off slightly funny things I come across in the 402 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: hope that one day, just one day, you think of 403 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: me and say, how low with something funny added mark 404 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:06,879 Speaker 1: from originally from Wagga Wagga, Australia, now in Sydney, and 405 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 1: now you have to add something funny Wagga water is 406 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:15,200 Speaker 1: pretty funny. Perfect. Yeah, thanks Chuck. If you have something 407 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 1: funny to say, chuck it on like funny you You 408 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 1: can be funnier than us if you dare, uh, send 409 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 1: it in an email right. Oh and don't forget if 410 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 1: you have like a hiccup remedy, I'm sure we want 411 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:29,640 Speaker 1: to hear those. Put in an email to stuff podcast 412 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:37,200 Speaker 1: at how stuff works dot com. For more on this 413 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:39,880 Speaker 1: and thousands of other topics, is that how stuff works 414 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: dot com. Want more house stuff Works, check out our 415 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: blogs on the house stuff works dot com home page. 416 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. 417 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: It's ready, are you