What is actually a hiccup?

What would cause a simultaneous hiccup-burp?

• I keep doing this thing where I get air in my throat and burp, only it first comes out like a hiccup and then the burp. What could be causing this and how can I stop it? It's been ongoing for the last three days and I do it quite often.

• Answer:

  Your food pipe travels down into your stomach and must pass through your diaphragm which separated your lungs from your abdomen. If you swallow wind as you eat, this trapped air can build up often beneath the level of the diaphragm. A hiccup is caused by contraction of the diaphragm muscle to eject trapped wind or pressure that's built up against it. A burp is similar but caused more by the sphincter muscles that stop food travelling back up your food pipe. If you get both together it would indicate to me that you're swallowing a lot of air as you eat. Sit up taller as you eat, sip water frequently to lubricate your food and try no cut back on starchy bulky foods. Fresh is best.