AHHHH…. CHOO!

Sneezes are one of the most uncomfortable feelings that occur to us as humans. Especially if it’s not just one simply sneeze, but if it’s a sneeze attack of about 5 in a row. I know for myself my sneeze is loud and obnoxious, while other peoples can be so quiet and little that no one even hears them. Sneezes are caused from a tickle in the nose or from being sick with a cold or something that irritates the nose in general. But what really is a sneeze and why does our body perform the action of a sneeze?

Sneezing is also called sternutation, which is the body’s way of removing and irritation or tickle from one’s nose. It starts from a small irritation in the nose that leaves your body sending a message to a special part in the brain called the sneeze center which then sends another message to all the muscles in the body that have to work together to create a sneeze. Do you know how many muscles are actually used when sneezing? Well, some of the muscles include abdominal, chest, muscles that control your vocal cords, muscles in the back of the throat, the diaphragm, and also your eyelid muscles! Have you ever been driving and really had to sneeze and almost got into a car accident because you sneezed? Well, that’s because every time you sneeze, your eyes are closed. Try sneezing with your eyes open, it’s physically impossible – I tried it.

Have you ever sneezed when stepping out into sunlight? Well, according to kidshealth.org, “about 1 out of every 3 people sneezes when exposed to bright light. They are called photic sneezers”. This entails that if you are one of these people, it is something that you got from your parents that is inherited, so you can go thank them! Also, sneezes travel at about 100 miles per hour! A single sneeze can send 100,000 germs into the air and spread all around. So next time you sneeze, remember to cover yourself because the amount of germs that spreads in one single sneeze can instantly can someone infected with those germs and sick!

Sources

http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/sneeze.html

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/11-surprising-sneezing-facts

 

9 thoughts on “AHHHH…. CHOO!

  1. Rachel M Arndt

    I have heard a rumor before that deaf people do not make a sound when sneezing. I think it is fascinating that perhaps like our voices our sneezes differ. I know I can identify people in my family across the food store when they sneeze…

  2. Alex Seth Blankman

    I had no idea someones could sneeze could generate so much speed and germs. The speed and velocity explains why my eyes are forced shut and the 100,000 germs easily explains why everyone should be sneezing in their left arms, so as not to spread diseases. But what if you shake someones hand who just sneezed into it, wow does your chances of getting sick improve. This is how diseases and germs are spread, so please wash your hands or just be civil and sneeze into your arm, because nothing in his world is certain but the ways to spread diseases are pretty clear.

    http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/handwashing/cover_cough.htm

    http://ideas.time.com/2013/01/15/flu-prevention-why-are-adults-still-sneezing-into-their-hands/

  3. Caley Mccormick

    I’ve always found it really interesting as to why our sneezes vary from person to person. Neil Kao (MD), an allergist and an asthma specialist wrote and article called, “11 Surprising Sneezing Facts.” It turns our sneezes start in your nerves and the reason we sneeze differently is because signals travel on different paths in each of us along the nerves.

  4. nao5072

    This was a very unique post. I never put too much thought into sneezing. Also, this is the first time I ever heard about photic sneezers . Do they sneeze ever time they come in contact with bright sunlight or is it less common than that.

  5. Leona Kogan

    To be honest, I love sneezing. It feels refreshing to me. However, for some reason, I never sneeze more than 2 times in a row. Like actually never. Maybe the amount of times you sneeze has something to do with one’s anatomy. Also, the part that not everyone sneezes from sunlight makes so much more sense to me now. I used to tell my friends to look up at the sun if they wanted to sneeze and they would look at me like I had 5 heads. Now I know why.

  6. cmh5996

    Sneezing is definitely one of the worst feelings, and like you said when you have to sneeze several times in a row it becomes very frustrating. I have found that since being here at Penn State I have developed seasonal allergies. I never had issues regarding allergies until this past fall. The doctors said it could be an effect of living in a valley setting opposed to a large and open environment at home. With sneezing, it is very important to cover your mouth to prevent the spread of nasty germs! The Huffington Post provides more information and an example of exactly why you should always cover your mouth when you sneeze.
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/09/sneeze-cloud_n_5110971.html

  7. Emily A Glogowski

    i found your post very interesting! I myself hate sneezing and often prevent myself from doing so. I had no idea all the muscles involved in one sneeze! Thats very interesting that it is a reaction to an irritation. Also the amount of germs it spreads is astronomical! I will definitely be sure to cover up every time I sneeze!

  8. Hannah Elizabeth Boothman

    This was really interesting because I never thought about all the muscles used when we do a simple action, such as a sneeze. I read something once about how if you are driving 60 miles per hour and you sneeze that you just drove the length of a football field blind. This is very frightening to me because we can’t help the fight of having to sneeze, so if we are driving we have to be really careful.

  9. Max Cohen

    This topic is really cool. I have noticed the things you are talking about in the past. I’ve never tried to sneeze with my eyes open but it does seem quite difficult. It interesting to hear about the different muscles you use when sneezing. All I know is my face tightens up and there is a ton of pressure in my head afterwards. I hate sneezing.

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