Sneezing is a protective reflex which usually happens suddenly and without any warning. A sneeze is a powerful, involuntary expulsion of air. It’s the body’s way of removing irritants from the nose or throat. Sneezing is also known as sternutation is a routine function in humans and many animals. While sneezing as a symptom can be quite annoying, it’s not usually the result of any serious health problem.
People sneeze to remove from the nasal cavities mucus containing foreign particles or irritants. A sneeze (or sternutation) expels air forcibly from the mouth and nose in an explosive, spasmodic involuntary action caused mainly from irritation of the nasal mucous membrane. During a sneeze, the soft palate and palatine uvula are lowered while the back of the tongue rises to partially close the passage to the mouth so that air expelled by the lungs can exist the nose. Because the mouth closes only partially, much of this air is also expelled through it; the power and amount of air pushed through the nose varies. There is actually a “sneezing center” in the brain that causes the nose to react to stimulants. The sudden air can be expelled by the nose at high speeds of 1 kPa through the upper airways.
What Triggers a Sneeze
Many things can trigger a sneeze, sneezing can be triggered through cold, 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. Further more, sneezing can also be triggered by a drop in temperature or a cold breeze, allergies, exposure to chemicals, a full stomach, having or thinking about sex and orgasm, touching something, being exposed to an electric current. Sneezing is the semi-autonomous , convulsive expulsion of air through the lungs and the mouth, usually caused by foreign particles irritating the nasal mucosa.
Sneezing is a coordinated protective respiratory reflex which occurs due to stimulation of the upper respiratory tract, particularly the nasal cavity. The sneeze reflex frequently accompanies rhinitis of allergic or nonallergic origin. Sneezing can also arise due to bright light or sun (ACHOO syndrome), physical stimulants of the trigeminal nerve, psychogenic or central nervous system pathologies and even due to a full stomach (snatiation reflex) or a sexual ideation.
Sneezing does not Occur during sleep
Sneezing does not occur at any time, for examples when you are in a deep rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, you can’t sneeze because your body has gone into a state of atonia when the motor neurons cannot be stimulated and the brain does not receive signals of reflexes. But if you wake up in the middle of (REM) sleep you can start sneezing. The sneeze reflex involves various nerves in the brainstem that control muscles in the throat and lungs.
Signs and Symptoms of Sneezing
Depending upon the reason for the sneezing, other symptoms can also occur, including:
Inhalation of corticosteroids through a nasal spray
Drug withdrawal
Other Causes of Sneezing
Air Pollutants
Cold Air
Drug Withdrawal
Dust
Exposure to Bright Light
Medications
Spicy Foods
Strong Emotions
Viral Infection
Capsaicin
Capsaicin, the active chemical component of chili peppers, is a prime cause of sneezing for both animals and humans. Inhaling it produces a sensation of burning in any tissue with which it comes into contact.
Part of your nose’s job is to clean the air we breathe, making sure it’s free of dirt and bacteria. In most cases, our nose traps this dirt and bacteria in mucus. Your stomach then digests the mucus, which neutralizes any potentially harmful invaders. Sometimes, however, dirt and debris can enter your nose and irritate the sensitive mucous membranes inside your nose and throat. When these membranes become irritated, it causes you to sneeze.
A widely used anesthetic called propofol (Diprivan) that anesthesiologists use can cause multiple sneezing, according to a study in a CMAJ. Some patients react so strongly to this that the operating table shakes, causing the surgeon problems. One involuntarily sneezing patient was even stabbed in the eye by the surgeon’s scalpel. Yet the psychoactive substances known as opioids such as Fentanyl have been found to prevent sneezing during surgery, especially on the eyes.
