A hiccup or hiccough (normally pronounced "HICK-up") is an
involuntary spasm of the diaphragm; typically this repeats several
times a minute. The sudden rush of air into the lungs causes the
epiglottis to close, creating the "hic” noise.
A bout of hiccups generally resolves itself without intervention,
although many home remedies are in circulation that claim to
shorten the duration, and medication is occasionally necessary. By
extension, the term "hiccup" is also used to describe a small and
unrepeated aberration in an otherwise consistent pattern. The
medical term is singultus.
While many cases develop spontaneously, hiccups are known to
develop often in specific situations, such as eating too quickly,
taking a cold drink while eating a hot meal, eating very hot or
spicy food, laughing vigorously or coughing, drinking an alcoholic
beverage to excess, crying out loud (sobbing causes air to enter
the stomach), some smoking situations where abnormal inhalation can
occur (in tobacco or other smoke like cannabis, perhaps triggered
by precursors to coughing, or in the case of cannabis, by
precursors to laughter), or electrolyte imbalance. Hiccups may be
caused by pressure to the phrenic nerve by other anatomical
structures, or rarely by tumors and certain kidney disease. It is
reported that 30% of chemotherapy patients suffer singultus as a
side effect of treatment. (American Cancer Society)
This cache is one of a series in the "Road to Spenceville".
It will entice you and lead you to one of Northern California's
best outdoor caching spots.
You'll experience stickers, barbed wire, snakes, and a plethora of
other things from a land once used for farming then for training
during WWII and now for recreation for the masses.
Enjoy!