Sneezing

Definition

Sneezing, also known as sternutation, is the response of the mucous membrane of the nose to an irritant or foreign body that causes allergy in a hypersensitive person.

Description

A sneeze is an involuntary explosive burst of air from the nose and mouth that removes offending material from the nasal passages.

Causes & symptoms

Sneezing can occur from a number of causes, or may itself be a symptom of an underlying condition, most likely an allergy or common cold . Sneezing may simply be triggered by a small foreign object or substance in the nose, including particles of pepper, smoke, irritating chemical fumes, or gases. It may also be a symptom of a common cold, upper respiratory tract infection, hay fever , or other allergies to pollen, dust, dust mites, mold, dander, grass, or other substances. Additional potential causes of sneezing include withdrawal from opiate drugs, inhaling corticosteroids, whooping cough , or anaphylaxis. Many people sneeze when they step outdoors into bright sunlight. Others report sneezing whenever they tweeze their eyebrows.

In a January 2000 paper in the journal Neurology, Dr. Mark Hersch of Australia's New South Wales University reported that some stroke patients find themselves temporarily unable to sneeze, leading to speculation that a "sneeze center" may exist in the medulla of the brainstem.

Diagnosis

An attempt to determine the cause of sneezing is likely to include an examination of the upper respiratory tract. A doctor might perform skin tests to uncover any allergies, or antibody tests. In some cases, x rays are also useful.

Treatment

Herbs and supplements

Echinacea , Yin Chiao Chieh Tu Pien (a Chinese over-the-counter formulation), zinc , and vitamin C are all potentially useful against sneezing and other cold symptoms. Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica ) and red clover (Trifolium pratense ) may be used for allergies.

Homeopathy and acupuncture

Either of these disciplines may offer individualized relief. A local practitioner should be consulted. Homeopathic

remedies may include Allium cepa, Sabadilla, Nux vomica, Euphrasia, Natrum muriaticum, and others.

Acupressure

Acupressure points that may be effective against sneezing include Large Intestine 4 (between the thumb and the index finger), Governing Vessel 26 (on the upper lip), and Triple Warmer 5 (on the forearm).

Relaxation

Some hay fever sufferers report benefits from hot baths, massage, and other relaxation therapies.

Allopathic treatment

This most commonly consists of over-the-counter antihistamines. Although these drugs often result in drowsiness, newer versions including Allegra and Claritin do not cause that problem.

Other treatment options may include an allergen-free diet, or a series of allergy shots, injecting increased amounts of an allergen to desensitize the body.

Expected results

Most commonly, sneezing is a mild and temporary problem. In those cases in which medical intervention is needed, the results are usually favorable, although allergy patients sometimes develop asthma .

Prevention

With allergies, the best way to prevent sneezing is to avoid exposure to allergens, the substances that provoke allergic attacks. Depending on the substance, this can be done by timely replacement of furnace filters, removing animals from the house, or even getting out of town during particularly sensitive seasons.

Handwashing and careful hygiene are good ways to avoid common colds and other infections .

Resources

ORGANIZATIONS

National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases. 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 31, Room 7A-03, Bethesda, MD, 20205. (800) 644-6627. http://www.niaid.nih.gov/.

David Helwig

Sneezing

There are many superstitions concerning sneezing. It is said that the custom of blessing one who sneezes originated in Italy in the time of Pope Gregory the Great (ca. 540-604) during a pestilence that proved fatal to those who sneezed. A still older date is given to this custom by some writers, who traced the idea to the biblical Adam and to his descendent Jacob, who supposedly begged that its fatal effects might be removed. On his request being granted, the people gratefully instituted the custom of saluting the sneezer.

In some diseases, sneezing was a bad omen, while in others it was a good omen. Sneezing to the right was lucky, to the left, unlucky; from noon to midnight good, from night to noon, bad. St. Augustine (d. 430) stated that the ancients would return to bed if they sneezed while putting on a shoe.

sneeze involuntary violent expiration of air through the nose and mouth. It results from stimulation of the nervous system in the nose, causing sudden contraction of the muscles of expiration. The stimulus can include any irritating factor in the nose—inflammation of the tissues as the result of a cold or infection, allergic irritants ( hay fever ), or irritating substances such as dust or pollutants in the air. An occasional sneeze usually has little significance. Repeated sneezing indicates that some condition of the nose or in the immediate atmosphere requires attention.

sneeze / snēz/ • v. [intr.] make a sudden involuntary expulsion of air from the nose and mouth due to irritation of one's nostrils: the smoke made her sneeze. • n. an act or the sound of expelling air from the nose in such a way: he stopped a sudden sneeze. PHRASES: not to be sneezed at inf. not to be rejected without careful consideration; worth having or taking into account: a saving of $550 was not to be sneezed at.DERIVATIVES: sneez·er n. sneez·y adj.

sneeze (sneez)
1. n. an involuntary violent reflex expulsion of air through the nose and mouth provoked by irritation of the mucous membrane lining the nasal cavity.

2. vb. to produce a sneeze.

sneeze sb. and vb. Appears first (XV) in the form snese as a substitute in printed texts for an originaì fnese (from OE. fnēsan), which had become obs. XV.

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