(HealthDay News) -- A hiccup occurs when the diaphragm, a muscle below the lungs, moves involuntarily. This spasm causes the vocal cords to close rapidly, triggering the hiccup sound. Generally, hiccups go away after a few minutes.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers this list of common triggers:

• Abdominal surgery.
• Conditions, such as pneumonia or pleurisy, that affect the nerves of the diaphragm.
• Drinking or eating spicy things.
• Inhaling noxious fumes.
• Having a stroke or tumor that affects the "hiccup center" of the brain.