When you sneeze the particles coming out from your nose can travel up to 2 feet according to a study. If you are suffering from a cold or flu then you can infect others. That is why it is a good idea to sneeze into tissue paper to prevent others around you getting infected.
Have you ever wondered why we sneeze?
The answer is simple but the mechanism is a bit complex.
When foreign particles such as irritants try to enter the body through the nose during breathing, your body's defense mechanism works to expel them. The response is quick that the entire process of expelling irritants is completed in just a fraction of second. If irritants are aggressive then you will have multiple episodes of sneezing to counter them.
How does a Sneeze Occur?
The most common irritants are pollutants like dust, mites, smoke, fumes, pet dander and pollen. Cold and flu viruses are also responsible for sneezing.
Exposure to bright sunlight can also cause sneezing. Though there is no scientific evidence, yet some people believe that they get sneezing after orgasm.
Ok, now let us look at what happens when an irritant enters your nose?
The receptors and sensors in the nose and sinuses send electrical signal indicating an invasion by a foreign particle that may be harmful to the body.
Brain, then sends signals to the eyes, tongue and various facial and chest muscles to work in coordination to expel the irritant with tremendous force. The resulting action is a Sneeze.
Why Eyes, Tongue and Muscles React During a Sneeze?
When the body senses danger, your brain takes the leader's role and orders relevant body organs to take positions and act in coordination. This is why eyes, tongue and various muscles work in tandem to deal with the Invaders try to enter the body through the nose.
- Chest Muscles Tighten - The chest muscles contract to push air from the lungs with tremendous force to expel the Irritants in the nose.
- Tongue Sits on the Root - The tongue flattens and sits on the bottom of the mouth. This opens up the respiratory tract wide for the air to come out with force.;
- Facial Muscles Contract - In the final process to expel the irritants the facial muscles contract help extracting the air coming forcefully from the lungs.
- Eyes are Closed - Body's natural preventive reflex action closes the eyes to avoid forcefully expelled irritants from nose to get into the body through the other opening on the face, the eyes.
All the above actions and many other intricate body cells work in perfect coordination within fractions of a second to expel the Irritants. The coordinated action manifests as a Sneeze. If required, you may get multiple successive sneezing depending on the danger level perceived by your brain.
Why Some People Sneeze Looking at the Sun?
If you sneeze looking at the sun then blame it on your parents. Yes this type of sneezing is a genetic condition.
Sun sneezing is also called photic sneezing. The condition is also called ACHOO syndrome( Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helio Ophthalmic Outburst).
Almost 25% of people sneeze looking at the bright sun.
The exact mechanism of how sneezing occurs due to bright light is still not understood. However, it has been found by researchers that there is a strong genetic link in sun sneezers.
Scientists are still struggling to isolate the gene that causes the sun sneezing. So if you are a sun sneezer, just don't look towards the bright sun or about sudden exposure to the sun for the time being to avoid sneezing.
Precautions and Tips
Sneezing is a harmless protective condition. It does cause inconvenience particularly when tranquility is desired in the situation.
If you really want to avoid sneezing, then take precautions from the possible Irritants. Stay away from dusty and polluted environments. Be more careful during pollen season.
Sometimes you just can't do much to avoid it. So sneeze and enjoy. You feel much better after a Sneeze.