If you strike the bag sharply with a blunt object, several of the eggs will break and their contents will leak into the bag. The bag however will not break, leaving the fluid trapped inside. The fluid represents the pooled up blood released from broken vessels under the skin. Hic-cups generally happen as a result of people over eating, swallowing too much air, or drinking too fast. While the exact trigger mechanism for hic-cups is still a mystery, many doctors think that the vegas nerve which runs from the stomach to the brain becomes irritated which causes the phrenic nerve in the diaphragm to twitch.
Most people can usually get rid of hic-cups in a few minutes by simply holding their breath.
This allows the muscle spasm in the diaphragm to subside usually stopping the hic-cup. Have the students bring in their own family hic-cup remedies and compile a list of the most common and unique. Have them analyze the cures to see what specific body functions each one targets. We encourage duplication for educational non-commercial use. Educational materials developed with the National Science Teachers Association.