How many times has this happened to you? You're in the cafeteria, or sharing a quiet moment with your friend, when out of the blue your body starts making "small talk," surprising you with hiccups, a series of sneezes or a deafening stomach rumbling. These and other body quirks, likeyawns, rarely means anything serious but they are unpredictable and often embarrassing. You can't prevent them from happening, but knowing what's behind your physical noisemakers is the first step to turning down the volume!

Achoo Attacks

Any nasal irritation, whether from a viral infection or an allergy, can trigger a sneeze. Sneezes rush out at up to 100 miles an hour, and tend to occur in patterns. Most people sneeze a certain number of times per attack, and quite a few of us sneeze when suddenly exposed to bright light. We also vary in the amount of noise we make and whether a sneeze escapes through our nose or our mouth. The best way to cut a sneezing session short: Get rid of the cause, be it infection, allergen or outside irritant. Barring that, there are always a few tried and true home remedies that might do the trick. Press a finger hard against the flat area above your nose and between your eyebrows or under the nose and against your gums. If sunlight sends you into sneezing fits, invest in a good pair of sunglasses and a hat. But keep some tissues handy, just in case.

Hiccup helpers

You probably already have a favourite cure for hiccups: holding your breath, drinking a glass of water, even yanking on your tongue. The only one that really works all the time though, is breathing in a paper bag for two minutes. Scientists believe this may build up carbon dioxide in the blood, which quells hiccups when the blood circulates to the brain. Hiccups are actually contractions of the breathing muscles. Triggers include drinking alcohol or carbonated beverages, overeating, cold showers, emotional stress and less commonly, tiny objects (a small strand of hair, for instance) trapped deep within the ear. Hiccups perform no useful physical function and, for some reason, afflict men four times more than women. Most sieges last just a few minutes and disappear on their own. The longest recorded bout of hiccups was an amazing 65 years. If they last longer than two days, it's wise to consult a doctor. There are some prescription drugs that can provide relief.

Yawns: the "catching" body quirk

Science has confirmed what we all knew anyway...you are most likely to yawn when bored, sleepy, hungry, in a stuffy room...or when you see someone else do it. You might find yourself yawning most of the first hour after you wake up in the morning and the last one before you go to bed at night. Doctors don't know why people yawn or why yawning is contagious, but they do know that virtually every living creature from fish, birds, reptiles to mammals...yawns. A good satisfying yawn, in which the jaw is fully stretched, equalises pressure between the ears...but to no known purpose. There is no evidence to back up the commonly held belief that a yawn is a response to a lack of oxygen or a build up of carbon dioxide in the blood. One unproven theory has it that yawns help perk you up when you are drowsy by causing the facial muscles to contract, boosting blood flow to the brain.

Stomach talk

The gurgles and growls you sometimes hear (technically borborygmi) usually stem not from the stomach itself but from the digestive process, as food and air squeeze their way out of the stomach and through the long, narrow, twisting tubes of your intestines. Contrary to what we have always believed, hunger isn't always the cause; bellies can "talk" when they are empty or full. The low-pitched gurgling is usually caused by swallowed air or gas. The air intake is sometimes triggered by tension. Nervousness causes some people to gulp air, which then travels noisily down the intestines. Lactose intolerance might also be the culprit, when the stomach lacks the enzyme to break down dairy products, producing a large amount of intestinal gas. The higher pitched gurgling can warn that air is trapped above an intestinal block. Persistent, painful rumblings, not soothed by food, should be brought to the attention of a doctor. Run of the mill rumblings can't be prevented altogether but you may try to eat and drink slowly and consider eliminating carbonated beverages from your diet. Cut down on gassy vegetables like broccoli, beans and cabbage, and limit the sugarless gum you chew. It contains sorbitol, a known gas producer.