Sneezing: a natural reflex much more dangerous than we think

Embarrassing in public, annoying in the car... sneezing is an involuntary and natural reflex of the human body, triggered to clear the airways of any irritants. And while this reaction is often perceived as harmless, it involves a powerful mechanism that, if it doesn't go as planned, can cause serious injuries.

Preventing a sneeze from occurring freely can lead to serious injuries, ranging from a torn throat to a ruptured aneurysm, reports the media outlet Ça m'intéresse.

Once the mechanism is triggered, various muscles, such as the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm, come into play. Significant air pressure is also released, passing through the nose and mouth. And it is precisely when this pressure is blocked, when we close our mouth or pinch our nose, that the risks become real. Indeed, the pressure then finds another route, to sensitive areas of the body.

Real Injuries

The internal pressure caused by a blocked sneeze can cause damage to the ears, throat, or even blood vessels. Several documented clinical cases show that preventing a sneeze can lead to a torn throat and a perforated eardrum, which can cause intense pain and temporary or permanent hearing loss. Furthermore, "holding back" a sneeze, although extremely rare, can damage blood vessels in the brain.

Finally, holding back a sneeze can cause a pneumothorax. This phenomenon, also called a ruptured lung, occurs when air infiltrates between the lung and the chest wall, causing partial or complete collapse of the lung, reports Ça m'intéresse. If the patient is not treated quickly, a pneumothorax can lead to asphyxia.

As you can see, to avoid this, it is strongly recommended to let the sneeze flow (while limiting the spread of germs, for example, by covering your mouth).

(MH with Raphaël Liset - Source : Ça m'intéresse - Illustration : ©Unsplash)