Tag: Sneezing

Does sneezing stops your heart?

Most of us have experienced it while in our class, meeting or at any other important commitments. Yes, sneezing, especially when we were suffering from some allergies, we can’t control it, but why do we sneeze? What’s the reason behind it? Well a sneeze is officially called as Sternutation. Sneezing is an involuntary activity of our body to clear our nose. Whenever a foreign matter such as dust, dirt, germs or anything that shouldn’t be there enters your nostrils, the nose get irritated and it sends a message to your brain. Then to remove the particle your brain sends a message to all of your muscles for a sudden exhalation process called a sneeze, and it would take only milliseconds for your brain to process this. In 2002, a study at Denmark’s department of Otorhinolaryngology at Rigshospitalet showed that 95% of people sneeze four times or less each day. Worldwide, we could be sneezing upwards of 7.8 billion times a day.

Shot of an attractive young woman feeling ill and blowing her nose with a tissue at home

Cultural beliefs about sneezing

          Many people think that sneeze is a sign of good luck, while others think it’s a bad sign. People in ancient Greece, 400BC believed these sneezes are favorable sign from the gods. During the 6th century, the plague killed 200 million people all over the world; sneeze is also one of the symptoms of this disease. So people started to believe that sneeze is a sign of death and by saying “bless you” they thought it may prevent them from being infected and some used to consider as a final blessing. That’s why still some people say “God bless you” when someone sneeze.

Does really sneeze stops our heart?

        Do you know? Your sneeze can create 100,000 droplets and it can travel up to 160 kilometers (100 miles) an hour. Yes it’s more likely a faster way to spread diseases than a cough. So while sneezing, our heart stops for a second and start after that? Well it seems like it takes a break but, it’s not the case. Usually we inhale deeply before sneezing; this increases the pressure in your chest and slows down the blood flow to your heart. The heart compensates this by changing to its regular beat right after we sneeze. So it only reduces the heart rate for a short period of time rather than stopping it. Do you know? The heart can continue to beat for a short time after being removed from the body because; it has its own electrical system that can pump blood as long as it gets oxygen. So a sneeze won’t stop the electrical activity of our heart.

Is holding your sneeze dangerous?

       Most of us hate sneezing in awkward situations, it makes us embarrassed. Did you ever tried to hold your sneeze? If you did, the following incident will show why you should not. A 34 year old man has admitted to a hospital in the UK for serious neck infection. Doctors found that the pressure built from the sneeze cant able to escape as he blocked his nose and mouth. It causes rupture in the cavity that connects our nose and mouth called pharynx. It seems that he is trying to hold his sneeze every time for the last 30 years because, he feels that it would be unhygienic to sneeze into the atmosphere. He was hospitalized for a week and doctors treated him with the necessary antibiotics to cure the infection.

      Sneezing is one of the primary defense systems in our body to get rid of harmful irritants in our nose. The entered irritant somehow should have to go out. So, don’t try to hold it, just let it happen.

“I used to wake up at 4 AM and start sneezing, sometimes for five hours. I tried to find out what sort of allergy I had but finally came to the conclusion that it must be an allergy to consciousness”.     – James Thurber.

Does sneeze stops your Heart for an instant?

Most of us have experienced it while in our class, meeting or at any other important commitments. Yes, sneezing, especially when we were suffering from some allergies, we can’t control it, but why do we sneeze? What’s the reason behind it? Well a sneeze is officially called as Sternutation. Sneezing is an involuntary activity of our body to clear our nose. Whenever a foreign matter such as dust, dirt, germs or anything that shouldn’t be there enters your nostrils, the nose get irritated and it sends a message to your brain. Then to remove the particle your brain sends a message to all of your muscles for a sudden exhalation process called a sneeze, and it would take only milliseconds for your brain to process this. In 2002, a study at Denmark’s department of Otorhinolaryngology at Rigshospitalet showed that 95% of people sneeze four times or less each day. Worldwide, we could be sneezing upwards of 7.8 billion times a day.

source: pexels.com

Cultural beliefs about sneezing

          Many people think that sneeze is a sign of good luck, while others think it’s a bad sign. People in ancient Greece, 400 BC believed these sneezes are favorable sign from the gods. During the 6th century, the plague killed 200 million people all over the world; sneeze is also one of the symptoms of this disease. So people started to believe that sneeze is a sign of death and by saying “bless you” they thought it may prevent them from being infected and some used to consider as a final blessing. That’s why still some people say “God bless you” when someone sneeze.

Does really sneeze stops our heart?

        Do you know? Your sneeze can create 100,000 droplets and it can travel up to 160 kilometers (100 miles) an hour. Yes it’s more likely a faster way to spread diseases than a cough. So while sneezing, our heart stops for a second and start after that? Well it seems like it takes a break but, it’s not the case. Usually we inhale deeply before sneezing; this increases the pressure in your chest and slows down the blood flow to your heart. The heart compensates this by changing to its regular beat right after we sneeze. So it only reduces the heart rate for a short period of time rather than stopping it. Do you know? The heart can continue to beat for a short time after being removed from the body because; it has its own electrical system that can pump blood as long as it gets oxygen. So a sneeze won’t stop the electrical activity of our heart.

source: verywellhealth.com

Is holding your sneeze dangerous?

       Most of us hate sneezing in awkward situations, it makes us embarrassed. Did you ever tried to hold your sneeze? If you did, the following incident will show why you should not. A 34 year old man has admitted to a hospital in the UK for serious neck infection. Doctors found that the pressure built from the sneeze cant able to escape as he blocked his nose and mouth. It causes rupture in the cavity that connects our nose and mouth called pharynx. It seems that he is trying to hold his sneeze every time for the last 30 years because, he feels that it would be unhygienic to sneeze into the atmosphere. He was hospitalized for a week and doctors treated him with the necessary antibiotics to cure the infection.

      Sneezing is one of the primary defense systems in our body to get rid of harmful irritants in our nose. The entered irritant somehow should have to go out. So, don’t try to hold it, just let it happen.

“I used to wake up at 4 AM and start sneezing, sometimes for five hours. I tried to find out what sort of allergy I had but finally came to the conclusion that it must be an allergy to consciousness”.     – James Thurber.

Why do we sneeze?

Sometimes dust, flakes of dead skin, pollution, microbes, or your own booger build up from a cold find their way into your nose’s passages. When mucous membranes in the lining of your nose detect this intruders, they sent an urgent message to your brain : Unleash a sneeze !

How do we sneeze?

You don’t have to do anything.react Sneezing is a lightning-fast-involuntary reaction, in which your chest,stomach, throat, and face muscles work together to blast particles from your nasal passages. The whole process last less than 3 secondsprofiles The whole process last less than three seconds, and it propels spit, boogers, chewed food, and other particles from your nose and mouth at nearly 100 miles per hour or 161 kph.

Why do we upchuck when we get sick?

If you catch a stomach flu ( usually a virus in your guts ), swallow food spoiled by bacteria, or simply pig out your body rebels, your stomach will kick into reverse to eject whatever’s causing the trouble. Your guts churn, your head spins, and your throat begins to burn.Before you know it, blaaargh! You have launched your lunch !Clammy skin, waves of uneasiness, and a queasy feeling known as nausea usually precede puking, giving you a heads-up to hang your head over the toilet. Motion sickness – a condition brought on by winding roads, rocking boats,or back to back rides on the Tilt-a-Whirl – can lead to hurling, too.

Why does throw – up burn my throat?

Your stomach contains powerful acids that help break down food, and some of this sour-tasting gastric juice get pumped up and away when you puke. Although a wave of spit and mucus helps protect your throat and mouth when you vomit, you will still feel the burn. Particularly forceful barfing sessions will propel puke into your sinuses and out your nose, producing an eye-watering sting. Nasty !

Why hasn’t medical science found a cure for the common cold?

You’d think curing a case of the sniffles would be a cinch for the scientists who invented artificial hearts and defeated lethal diseases like smallpox and polio. But eliminating the common cold is tricky because it is actually caused by more than 200 evolving viruses that all produce the same symptoms ( whereas smallpox was caused by just one virus).

Why does my nose run when we get a cold?

Your nasal membranes make mucus – aka snot – and this sticky substance serves as security against germs, dust, and pollen particles that would make breathing difficult if they reached our lungs. Moved along by tiny nostril hairs called cilia, snot pummels and pushes invading particles toword the exit – your nostrils – or dumps them down your throat. Your body produces nearly wo gallons (7.6 L) of mucus each week. You usually swallow all that snot without giving it a second thought. Catch a cold virus or come under an allergy attack, however, and the membranes pump up the volume. Your nose turns into a leaky snot faucet. You start coughing up globes of phlegm – a type of mucus produced in your throat and lungs. A hacking cough and runny nose are your body’s ways of flushing all the bad stuff.

Where do boogers come from?

Snot is sticky for a reason – it collects all the crud that get up your nose. Once snot reaches the nostrils, it dries into crumbly little boogers for easy disposal. Polite people blow them into tissues ; everyone else engages in rhinotellexis. The technical term for nose -picking.

How can we avoid germs?

  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after you touch any potentially infected surface or person.
  • Don’t touch your face after touching an infected surface. It’s a sure fire way to get sick !
  • Get vaccinations for all the major germ based illness from your doctor. Vaccine contains trace amounts of ( or weakened )microbes that trigger your body into making antibodies to fight against specific diseases, making you immune to them.
  • Be careful about sharing food or drinks with sick friends.
  • If you get sick, remember : the inside of your elbow makes a great sneeze shield. You might coat your arm in snot, but at least you will avoid infecting everyone in your launch zone.

How are germs spread?

Every time an infected person coughs or sneezes, he or she spreads sickness. One sneeze alone can launch thousands of germ-jammed droplets nearly 20 feet (6m), potentially infecting anyone in the blast radius. Bacteria and some viruses can survive for a short time on door handles, bathroom counter, and other surfaces.

References :

WHY?-Answers to everything, Image publications.