5 REASONS WHY IT’S NOT SAFE TO HOLD IN A SNEEZE

When we sneeze at home, we are happy to let it roar like a lion but we tend to hold in a sneeze when we are in public but is this really safe? Sneeze propels air out of your nasal canal at a speed of 100mph so trying to block this pressurized air moving at this speed can really not be safe.

5 reasons why it’s not safe to hold in a sneeze

1. RUPTURED EARDRUM

Holding in a sneeze can lead to hearing loss or prolonged dizziness due to pressurized air travelling through the ears’ Eustachian tubes and into the middle ear where it could cause damage, such as a ruptured eardrum.

2. COULD AFFECT THE BRAIN

The blood vessels in your brain can also be affected if you hold in a sneeze. Holding in a sneeze can weaken a blood vessel in the brain and cause it to rupture due to the momentary elevation of blood pressure.

3. COULD AFFECT THE EYES

Your eyes can also be at risk if you hold in a sneeze. Holding in a sneeze can break a blood vessel in the white of the eye, causing bruising of the white part around the iris.

4. COULD AFFECT YOUR DIAPHRAGM

Holding in a sneeze could also affect your diaphragm. The diaphragm is a horizontal muscle that stretches across the bottom of the rib cage and holding in a sneeze can cause injury to the diaphragm.

5. COULD AFFECT YOUR NECK

Holding in a sneeze could also affect your neck. A particularly violent pent-up sneeze could cause injury to the neck.

So to avoid these injuries, your best bet is to let it fly and roar like a lion. You should also know that sneezing also serve an important role by clearing your nose of bacteria and viruses.

S.O.Z