Sneeze. Everyone knows it: a sudden expulsion of air. But what actually happens when you sneeze? Sneezing is an involuntary and explosive expulsion of air through the nose – often through the mouth.
What is sneezing?
Sneezing is an expulsion of air through the nose and mouth. It is triggered by a sneezing stimulus. Sneezing is an expulsion of air through the nose and mouth. It is triggered by a sneezing stimulus. The sneeze is intended to expel nasal secretions as well as dust or other foreign objects – for example, pepper as a sneezing stimulus. There are many possible causes of sneezing: Irritation of the nasal mucosa is just as conceivable as very bright light, an allergy or sexual arousal. Sick people in particular should try not to sneeze near other people, because sneezing can transmit bacteria and pathogens through droplet infection. Sneezing itself occurs in three phases. First, air is inhaled. Then, after the breath has been held for a short time, the exhalation muscles of the abdomen and chest contract abruptly. At this moment, the air is expelled again through the nose and mouth – and with astonishing speed: sneezing speeds of over 160 to 180 km/h have been measured.
Function and task
Sneezing is primarily a protective reflex of one’s own body, used to remove various foreign bodies from the nose. Regardless of what foreign bodies are involved: Dust, bacteria, viruses, pollen, insects or microorganisms. Our own nasal secretions can also be responsible for a sneeze. Anything that irritates the nasal mucosa in any way can trigger a sneezing reflex. Typically, people sneeze mostly in the fall and winter, and often the sneeze serves as a forewarning of a classic cold. However, you don’t have to be or become sick to sneeze. Another classic example of a sneezing reflex is allergies. Here, for example, pollen or animal hair irritate the mucous membrane and an inflammatory reaction occurs. The subsequent sneeze ejects all foreign bodies, thus clearing the airways. However, some people also have to sneeze when they pluck their eyebrows, for example. This is due to the so-called triplet nerve (trigeminal nerve). It is the fifth cranial nerve and is significantly involved in sneezing. It is widely branched and also transmits stimuli and pain to the brain, for example. Plucking at hair, in this case at eyebrows, can irritate this nerve in such a way that one has to sneeze, although there is no stimulus on the nasal mucosa – the nerve is virtually fooled. Sneezing is therefore a self-cleaning function of the body, and for healthy people it is also harmless. Moreover, sneezing should not be suppressed: because of the pressure, there is a risk of damage to the middle ear or the eardrum. In addition, suppressing sneezing can also cause bacteria to enter the sinuses. Painful inflammations can thus be the result of a suppressed sneeze.
Diseases and complaints
There are a surprising number of horror stories surrounding the phenomenon of sneezing. One rumor that persists in people’s minds is that bodily functions supposedly stop during sneezing. Also, that your eyes will fall out of their sockets if you don’t close them when you sneeze is merely a myth. While sneezing can indeed throw the heart and circulation out of whack for a brief moment, the pulse and blood pressure normally return to normal immediately after the sneeze. In rare cases, sneezing can also cause fainting – in this case, a doctor should be consulted in any case. However, it is certain that sneezing can transmit bacteria and other pathogens via droplet infection. After all, besides coughing, sneezing is one of the main sources of infection in colds or flu-like infections. After all, it is not for nothing that after a sneeze one wishes the person concerned “good health“. The treatment of sneezing depends on what it is triggered by: By an allergy or a cold. In case of a cold, sneezing is just a symptom that occurs together with other symptoms such as cough, cold or sore throat. In this case, the whole cold must be treated.If the sneezing is allergy-related, for example in the case of hay fever or a pollen allergy, the affected person must either avoid the allergen or take an antihistamine so that the sneezing subsides. In the case of severe allergies, hyposensitization can also be performed. In this treatment, the patient receives minimal doses of their allergy-causing substance injected under the skin at regular intervals. After completion of the treatment, the body no longer reacts to it, or reacts less with allergic reactions – such as sneezing. However, the sneezing reflex can also be outwitted if it really has to be. To do this, it helps, for example, if you press your tongue firmly against the roof of your mouth. Another option is to place two fingers at the root of the nose and press lightly. However, both methods only work if you react at the first warning signal, the tingling in your nose. This can easily suppress the sneezing.
