Doctors explain why you should never hold in a sneeze – ‘Dangerous manoeuvre’ – BMJ study

Gogglebox: Adrian Dunbar interrupts Vicky McClure by sneezing

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Sneezing is the result of a series of body reflexes that trigger an instantaneous release of air from the nose and mouth. With the pandemic in full swing, people have been urged to cover their mouths when they sneeze. Holding in this pressure, however, could have a knock-on effect on the nose and throat.

A group of experts from the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust have explained why you should never hold in a sneeze.

Resisting the urge to sneeze, they explained, can lead to a number of damaging outcomes.

They said: “Halting sneezing via blocking the nostrils and mouth is a dangerous manoeuvre, and should be avoided.

“It may lead to numerous complications, such as pseudo-mediastinum (air trapped in the chest between both lungs).

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The group of experts detailed the case of one man, who ruptured the back of his throat while holding in a sneeze.

The 34-year-old reported feeling a “popping” sensation in his neck when it happened.

He was barely able to speak or swallow as a result and was left in extreme pain, according to the researchers.

In some rare instances, other doctors have observed cases of pressurising air becoming trapped in the diaphragm, collapsing the lungs.

The nose’s function is to filter out the air that enters the lungs, making sure it’s free of dirt and bacteria.

When entering the nose, sometimes debris irritates the mucus-producing membranes of our nostrils.

This stimulates the ending of the fifth cranial nerve, which mediates sensory inputs from all over our face, causing a sneeze.

A sneeze will travel about eight meters in distance, depending on temperature and humidity.

The dangers of holding in a sneeze may also be down to bacteria being forced back into the body, explained one expert.

Doctor DeVon Preston, Allergy and clinical immunology specialist, explained: “Some people might sneeze because of viral or bacterial infections.

“If you don’t sneeze, mucus can accumulate and be forced back into the Eustachian tubes.

“Pushing infected mucus back into the Eustachian tubes could cause a middle ear infection.”

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