Deadly Sneezes

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sneeze

How many of us have been in a crowded room surrounded by classmates on all sides sitting in silence taking that major test, when suddenly…you get that tickle. That oh-no! tickle in the back of your nose that makes your eyes water and chin quiver. That sneeze is coming. If you’re anything like me, you hate sneezing in public. You get those looks and those distorted faces of people thinking “you just got me sick, you nasty, unhealthy vermin”. So, you hold it in.

DO NOT DO THAT.

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If you hold in such a powerful reaction going on within your body, you are at risk of popping a blood vessel in your head or neck. This can cause death.

There are other ways of getting around this awkward moment. Rub your nose, breath hard in and out through you n nostrils tilt your head back, or like I do, say “apples, apples, oranges oranges” in your head, and you forget to sneeze. It truly works for me.

However, if the sneeze is already in progress, it is better to just ah-choo. It may not seem detrimental, however, there are more than a few dangers. A Live Science article bullets some:

  • cause injury to the diaphragm
  • break a blood vessel in the white of the eye, causing bruising of the white part around the iris
  • force air up the Eustachian tubes in your ears and cause a ruptured ear drum or an injury to the inner ear that could lead to vertigo or hearing loss
  • weaken a blood vessel in the brain and cause it to rupture due to the momentary elevation of blood pressure

Some people may even suffer from aggressive sneezes that come with an entire set of health problems;

  • A violent sneeze by someone who had sinus surgery can push air into the space around the eye and cause it to bulge, or push air into the brain cavity and cause an intense headache or even stroke
  • A violent sneeze could cause a neck injury from a sudden extension of the neck
  • A violent sneeze can cause momentary incontinence

So the next time you plan to sneeze, just duck and cover, and let it go.

Sources:

http://www.livescience.com/32776-is-it-safe-to-hold-in-a-sneeze.html

One thought on “Deadly Sneezes”

  1. Lauren Marie Freid

    This blog immediately caught my eye! Especially in science class, there is always someone sick and sneezing! I used to hold in my sneezes in high school because I didn’t want to sneeze obnoxiously in public because let’s be real, my sneezes are super loud. This article actually frightened me a little bit because you mentioned holding in sneezes can possibly lead to death and major other health issues. I never want to hold in my sneezes again! It’s actually crazy to think holding in a sneeze can cause harm to your diaphragm, but it makes sense. Next time, I will definitely just let it out. Here are some myths about sneezes! The one I found particularly interesting was that your heart actually stops when you sneeze.

    http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/11-surprising-sneezing-facts?page=2

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