Aside from allergies, you can sneeze at seemingly random things. I sneeze every time I start chewing a piece of gum. Advertisement
It happens to other people whenever they look at a bright light or toward the sun, or even when they pluck their eyebrows or have sex.
It turns out that sneezes start in your nerves. They are one of your bodys ways of keeping out irritants in your nose and throat, according to a post on the blog Penn Medicine News, which is maintained by the University of Pennsylvania.
“Its a nerve transmission that tells your brain something is in your nose that needs to come out,” Dr Neil Kao, an allergy and asthma specialist at the Allergic Disease and Asthma Center in Greenville, South Carolina told WebMD. Advertisement
When something enters your nose, it sets off the “sneeze sensor” in your brain, which then sends signals for you to to close your throat, eyes. and mouth. Next, your chest muscles contract and your throat muscles relax. This forces air (along with anything else) out of your mouth and nose. Thats a sneeze.
However, our noses dont always get it right, and sometimes our body mistakes harmless things as an attack.
Ergo: achoo! Researchers say some people can also sneeze when they suddenly breathe in cold air or eat strong mints, like Altoids. These sensations likely overstimulate other nerves close to the trigeminal nerve, launching the sneeze.
When something enters your nose, it sets off the “sneeze sensor” in your brain, which then sends signals for you to to close your throat, eyes. and mouth. Next, your chest muscles contract and your throat muscles relax. This forces air (along with anything else) out of your mouth and nose. Thats a sneeze.
“Its a nerve transmission that tells your brain something is in your nose that needs to come out,” Dr Neil Kao, an allergy and asthma specialist at the Allergic Disease and Asthma Center in Greenville, South Carolina told WebMD. Advertisement
However, our noses dont always get it right, and sometimes our body mistakes harmless things as an attack.
It turns out that sneezes start in your nerves. They are one of your bodys ways of keeping out irritants in your nose and throat, according to a post on the blog Penn Medicine News, which is maintained by the University of Pennsylvania.
Aside from allergies, you can sneeze at seemingly random things. I sneeze every time I start chewing a piece of gum. Advertisement
People who sneeze when their eyebrows are plucked are responding to stimulus to the trigeminal nerve, one of the 12 cranial nerves. It has three separate branches, which send sensations from the upper, middle and lower portions of the face to the brain. When the branch of the trigeminal nerve in the forehead is stimulated by tweezing, threading or waxing an eyebrow, the branch of the nerve in the nasal area is activated as well, which can result in a sneeze.
We tend to think of sneezing as a reaction to inhaling an irritant that “tickles” the nose, such as pollen, dust, pet dander, perfumes, mold, pollutants or smoke. The purpose of the propulsive gust of air delivered by a sneeze is to clear away that irritant. However, sneezing has other triggers. Some people sneeze in response to cold air, fizzy drinks, pungent foods such as chili or peppermint, sexual activity, exercise, when plucking an eyebrow, or when emerging from dim light and then looking at the sun or other bright light. Interestingly, sneezing associated with bright light, known as photic sneeze reflex, occurs in 20% to 35% of the populace and has been linked to genetics. Individuals who have this response often sneeze the same number of times in each episode.
(Send your questions to [email protected], or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.)
Dear Doctor: Why do I sneeze after a meal? It doesn’t matter what kind of food it is, and it doesn’t have to be after a particularly big meal. Beverages don’t seem to be an issue. What’s going on?
When it comes to the type of gustatory rhinitis you’re experiencing, which some people refer to as “sneezures,” the mechanism isn’t fully understood. In some cases, post-meal sneezing arises as the result of spicy or pungent foods. Common triggers can include horseradish, peppercorns, hot peppers, pickled foods, wasabi and dark chocolate. Temperature can also play a role. For some people, a sip of hot soup can bring on a sneeze. Sneezing at the end of a meal also has been linked to the stomach becoming full and, thus, distended. There is evidence that this, too, has a genetic component. Gustatory rhinitis also becomes more common as people age.
Why Do We Sneeze?
FAQ
Does peppermint make you sneeze?
Why does the smell of mint make me sneeze?
Does minty gum make you sneeze?
Why do I sneeze when I smell spices?
Does peppermint gum make you sneeze?
WikiHow lists chewing on a stick of peppermint gum as one way to induce a sneeze. While the source doesn’t explain why mints make you sneeze, it notes you’re more likely to sneeze if you inhale the scent more deeply while chewing (or sucking). If you don’t have gum or mints, you can try sniffing a bottle of peppermint essential oil, it adds.
How can I stop sneezing?
Sneezing is caused due to an allergic reaction which occurs when body comes in contact with an allergen. Avoiding contact with the allergen or taking anti-allergic medication can help reduce the symptoms.
Do you sneeze after taking Mint?
With near predictability I sneeze following the intake of mint whether it’s gum, a breath mint, Listerine breath strips, or something else. I’ve now come to refer to these items as Sneezey Treats. Following the two sneezes, there are no other symptoms. I don’t break out in hives, no watery eyes, nothing. Anyone else got this going on?
Can chili peppers cause a sneeze?
According to an article in the journal Current Opinions in Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, there are special receptors in the lining of the nose that detect capsaicin, a compound found in chili peppers. When these fibers detect the presence of capsaicin, they can trigger one or more sneezes.