(HealthDay News) -- Hiccups can be annoying and even uncomfortable, and they can last for a long time.

Here's information on what causes them and a couple of suggestions on how to stop hiccups from the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

• Abdominal surgery, conditions that affect the nerves surrounding the diaphragm, and damage to the portion of the brain that affects hiccups can all cause them.
• Eating hot and spicy foods or liquids or inhaling noxious fumes can also cause the hiccups.

To stop hiccups, try breathing into a paper bag or holding your breath.

Or you can try drinking a glass of water or swallowing a teaspoon of sugar to stop hiccups.