Getting inside your nostrils and the cause for all those noisy achoos!
There is never a good time to sneeze. You're eating dinner with a new client, talking with your new sweet thing, or driving in rush-hour traffic, and all of a sudden it hits. There's no holding it back, so you have to let the sneeze get through. But why do you sneeze in the first place?
Behind the Sneezing Curtain
Simply stated, you sneeze when your body senses something is hanging out in your nostrils that doesn't belong there. Unwanted intruders include everything from dust and dirt to viruses and pet dander. As soon as the prowlers are located, the muscles necessary for sneezing kick into action to get rid of them.
As helpful as sneezes can be, they can also occur when not required.
Unneeded sneezes come about when your body thinks something dangerous shows up. Known as allergies, these unproblematic troublemakers come in the form of pet dander, pollen, and other normal items in your environment. You may even find yourself sneezing when you go outside and feel a sudden burst of bright sunshine. Actually, sun-induced sneezing is so common that it has a special name: photic sneezing.
Stopping a Freight Train
You may have heard that it's not a good idea to stop a sneeze. You may have even heard that trying to do so is equivalent to stopping a speeding train. Believe it or not, this information is true. And yes, sneezes really can reach speeds as high as 100 miles per hour.
Trying to keep these speedy sneezes from shooting out in a loud outburst may be a nice thought, but doing so can be dangerous. Some people who have stopped their sneezes in takeoff have bitten their tongues, others have suffered ringing in their ears, and yet others have damaged their teeth or had their esophagus injured. At the least, stopping a sneeze keeps your body from doing what it is trying to do - protect you from foreign substances.
Cover It Up
Since sneezes will come when they want and there is very little you can do about it, the best thing you can do is to be prepared. When you feel a sneeze coming on, grab a tissue or napkin and cover your mouth. Doing this keeps your germs from being propelled out of your mouth and onto someone else. And in case you're accustomed to sneezing into your hand, don't!
Instead, when you're not privy to the conveniences of a tissue or napkin, sneeze into your inner elbow. This way, you won't have germs all over your hand when you go to shake hands with someone else, open a doorknob, or pick up a community telephone.
No comments:
Post a Comment