The Science Behind Sneezing | PBS North Carolina (2024)

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The Science Behind Sneezing | PBS North Carolina? ›

Your “sneeze center,” located in the lower brain stem, is triggered. It sends out a signal to tightly close your throat, eyes and mouth. Your chest muscles contract and compress your lungs while your throat muscles relax.

Expelling contaminants that enter our bodies through the nose is the original goal of a sneeze, but this reflex often gets confused. The trigeminal nerve, which provides sensation to our face and innervates our jaw muscles, is wired to pick up any irritation inside the nose, such as pepper, pollen, dust, or molds.

Sneezing is considered to be a physiological defense mechanism against nasal mucosal irritation due to allergy, infection or local pathology. Unusual triggers of sneezing include light, full stomach, sexual ideation and org*sm. [1] Psychogenic sneezing is a relatively rare entity, first described by Shilkret in 1949.

The sneezing reflex may be divided in two phases. The first is a nasal or sensitive phase, following stimulation of the nasal mucosa by chemical or physical irritants. The afferent pathways are through the olfactory and ethmoidal nerves, which converge in the putative “sneezing centre” in the medulla.

Sneezing is caused by irritation to the mucous membranes of the nose or throat. It can be very bothersome, but is rarely a sign of a serious problem. Sneezing can be due to: Allergy to pollen (hay fever), mold, dander, dust.

A sneeze is a nasal restart: Whatever irritated your nose to create the sneeze overwhelmed the nasal system. So, much like shutting down a computer to restart the system, the sneeze resets the nasal environment. That's why it's common to sneeze several times in a row if the irritant hasn't cleared out.

Opinions are divided: some advocate for a quiet response, while others see it as an unnecessary formality. Others see it as a polite way of acknowledging what can be a loud disruption. Ultimately, the choice is up to the individual: stick with the trusty phrase or ditch it.

This nerve is linked to the “sneeze center” of the brainstem and sends signals that prompt a person to sneeze. It usually occurs when something like dust or pollen irritates the mucus membranes of the nose and throat. As a reflex, your body sneezes in order to get rid of whatever is causing the irritation.

Sneezing can further be triggered through sudden exposure to bright light, a particularly full stomach and physical stimulants of the trigeminal nerve, as a result of central nervous system pathologies such as epilepsy, posterior inferior cerebellar artery syndrome or as a symptom of psychogenic pathologies.

Generally, the more air you breathe in, the louder your sneeze will be. Like closing your eyes, inhaling prior to a sneeze is largely a reflex but could be consciously controlled as well. Some people even hold in or “swallow” their sneezes, though health experts don't recommend this due to potential risk for injury.

What does sneezing 8 times in a row mean? ›

The most likely culprit behind your sneezing fits is allergies. With seasonal allergies, airborne triggers, like pollen, are found in higher levels in the air and can start a sneezing fit. Besides seasonal allergies, allergens from pets and dust can also cause frequent sneezing and may be why you can't stop sneezing.

The signals travel to the 'sneezing centre' in the lateral medulla of your brain. When they reach a critical threshold, it triggers a sneeze reflex. The reflex forces a sudden, deep intake of breath. At this point the chain reaction is unstoppable and a sneeze is inevitable.

Studies have shown that there are a small number of endorphins that are released during a sneeze. The pleasure sensors of the brain are activated by endorphins, leading to a “feel good” sensation. Many people have compared this to the feeling of a “runner's high” or the feeling after a workout.

That jet of air is filled with 2,000 to 5,000 germ-laden droplets. Have you noticed that we often sneeze in threes? With its great force and velocity, a single sneeze is sometimes enough to clear an irritant out of your system, but a triple sneeze happens when we need to get deeper irritants out.

Donna Griffiths (UK, born 1969) sneezed uncontrollably. for an incredible 976 days.

It is important to cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, as this helps prevent germs and infections. When we sneeze, droplets of moisture-containing germs can be expelled from the nose and mouth, and these droplets can land on surfaces and be inhaled by others.

Sneezing is a protective reflex that developed in response to irritation of the lining of the nose. This allows for different particles to be forcefully expelled from the nose, thus protecting the nose, the airway, and the body from subsequent harm.

The simulation results showed that during a normal sneeze, the pressure in the trachea reaches about 7000Pa, which is much higher than the pressure level of about 200Pa during the high activity exhalation.

Yet, we still close our eyes, why? It has to do with our nervous system. When your brain send the message to your nose that “We need to clear this place out” and you sneeze, this action causes stimulation of the nerves in your head and along the way your eyes are involuntarily told to blink.