Sneezing is a natural occurrence that is the body’s way of clearing irritants from the nasal passages. They are not always directly correlated with sicknesses or infections, as most people are conditioned to believe. Although they may not carry flu germs or colds all the time, you will still get tons of nasty looks from the people around you. It is best to be safe and always cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze to avoid particles from spreading because what comes out are still your own bodily fluids, which is unsanitary. Here are some things to know about sneezing, and why humans often sneeze:
What is a Sneeze
As mentioned above, sneezing is a bodily reaction to foreign objects in the nasal passages, which are expelled through triggering convulsions that are involuntary at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. You will often notice that a sneeze comes in twos or more. This is because the body has not expelled the particles fully on the first sneeze, so it will continue to do so until the passages are fully cleared of obstructions. The act of sneezing is also triggered through irritations in the lining of the nose, which should not be controlled.
Why you should not control a sneeze from occurring
As much as you would want to prevent a sneeze from coming out due to the bacteria and fluids it expels, doing so may cause extreme damage to the nasal passages and tissues. Experts advise against pinching your nose when you sneeze or shutting your mouth completely because these can tear your pharynx, which is very painful and will lead to hospitalization.
Reasons on why you are probably sneezing
Sneezing does not happen randomly. There are often reasons behind your sneezing, as it is triggered by different things. Here are some of the following possibilities as to why you find that you are sneezing:
You are about to experience a cold
Sneezing is often a telltale sign that you are about to experience a bout of colds or seasonal sicknesses. Provided that you do not have pollen allergies or known allergic reactions, you will often know that sickness is imminent when you start having attacks.
Exposure to sunlight or bright lighting conditions
There have been studies that around 18 to 35 percent of people suffer from a condition called photic sneeze reflex (PSR) or autosomal dominant compulsive helio-ophthalmic outbursts of sneezing syndrome. These people will experience sneezing when lighting conditions change abruptly, which is a very interesting condition to have.
Ingestion of certain spices
Like seen in old school cartoons back in the day, pepper was used to make characters sneeze and appear like they were too sick to go to school. This is somewhat true, and also happens when people eat spicy food or spice-heavy dishes.
Temperature spikes
This occurs once the body is spiked with a new, extreme temperature and disappears once the body has acclimatized to the new environment.
Allergic Reactions
Allergies are often what gets people into sneezing bouts. Whether it be to animal hairs, pollen, cigarette smoke, or other things people are allergic to, these all cause their bodies to react heavily to expel the foreign objects.
Conclusion
There are so many reasons why humans end up sneezing, and it is a normal reaction of the human body. The important thing to remember is that sneezing is naturally occurring, and it should not be halted by force, as it can cause massive damages to your nasal passages. When about to sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with your hands, a tissue, or tuck your face into your elbow to protect others from the spread of germs.
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