A group of British researchers claims that suppressing the urge to sneeze is very harmful to health.
British researchers at the University of Leicester’s National Health Hospital have explained why the widespread habit of sneezing can be dangerous to health.
“Restraining sneezing by blocking the nostrils and mouth is a dangerous maneuver and should be avoided,” the researchers were quoted as saying. “This can lead to many complications, such as pseudo-mediastinum (chest air between the lungs), perforation of the eardrum and even rupture of a cerebral aneurysm.” Also, restraining sneezing can cause blood vessels in the eyes, nose, or eardrums to rupture.
Subscribe to us on Facebook and Telegram, as well as conveniently read from GoogleNews mobile.
As a clear example of the danger of habit, experts describe the case of a man who tore the back of the throat, restraining sneezing. The 34-year-old Briton said that when it happened, he heard a “slapping” sound in the neck. According to researchers, the victim could barely speak and swallow and was in severe pain.
In isolated cases, compressed air can get stuck in the diaphragm, leading to lung collapse. And this is a serious condition, which, in turn, can lead to respiratory failure and even cardiac arrest.
The function of the nose is to filter the air that enters the lungs so that it is free of dirt and bacteria. The latter, being in the nasal passage, irritate the mucous membranes of the nostrils. This stimulates the nerve endings of the sinuses, resulting in sneezing – an unconditional protective reflex. During sneezing, high pressure is created in the lower respiratory tract, which allows a powerful stream of air to remove all stimuli from the nasal cavity.
And if you keep the urge to sneeze, dirt and bacteria will remain in the nose and enter the respiratory system. This is especially dangerous if you are already a carrier of the infection. “Sometimes people sneeze because of viral or bacterial infections. If you do not sneeze, mucus can accumulate and re-enter the Eustachian tubes (the canal that connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx), explains immunologist and allergist Dr. Devon Preston. “And getting infected mucus back into the Eustachian tubes can cause a middle ear infection.”