Hiccups!

Diaphragm is a muscular separation between the thoracic cavity and abdomen; its rhythmic contractions play an important role in respiration. Hiccups occur when diaphragm contracts involuntarily and suddenly, this result in snap shutting of vocal cords which produces the sound ‘hic’.
Usually hiccups are quite harmless; they are frequently caused by large meals, eating too quickly, drinking too much especially alcohol or carbonated beverages, prior abdominal surgeries, injury or insult to the nerves that innervate diaphragm, cerebro-vascular accidents, brain tumors and even sudden excitement may trigger hiccups. 

For most people, a bout of hiccups usually lasts only a few minutes. Rarely, hiccups may persist for longer duration say about an hour or even more or it is hindering your sleep or appetite; that is when we need to consult a doctor, they are rarely an emergency.

Hiccups can be prevented by avoiding overeating, eating too quickly, or drinking too much. There some home remedies too, holding your breath, drinking a glass of water quickly, pulling hard on your tongue, biting on a lemon, gargling with water, and using smelling salts. Rarely this condition require formal medications like chlorpromazine, haloperidol or metoclopramide. 

-Koya Satyasri