Sneezing, also known as sternation, used to be considered as the body driving out evil spirits. Today we know that the sudden forceful expulsion of air through the nose and mouth, is caused by irritation of the mucous membrane. Functional, less scary but more, well, boring?
According to a number of reliable sources a 12 year old girl called Donna Griffiths from England, holds the longest attack of sneezing on record. Donna sneezed for over 977 days between January 1981 and September 1983. Their frequency was, at first, every minute. As the days moved into weeks and years her sneezes became less frequent and occured about every 5 minutes.
What causes sneezing?
Common causes of sneezing include nasal irritants like dust,
pepper, powders, pollens.
Viral infections like the common cold
Sneezing can occur following drug withdrawal
Corticosteroid inhalation
Exposure to sunlight can also cause sneezing in some people. Known
as the photic sneeze.
Are men's sneezes more forceful than women?
A sneeze can leave the body at a speed of about 150km an
hour. A sneeze involves muscles in the face, throat and chest.
It is probable therefore that young fit healthy men will sneeze
more forcefully than someone older, who has a small body frame. It
is therefore dependant on a number of variables whether or not men
sneeze more forcefully than women.
Does the heart stop when we sneeze?
There is a common belief that the heart stops whenever we sneeze.
It does not although it can feel like your heart changes beat.
Positive pressure is created in the chest when we sneeze (or
cough). Known as the Valsalva manoeuvre, it is this positive chest
pressure that can create the myth that the heart stops.
Are sneezes life threatening?
When we sneeze the protective reflex of the eyes means that we
squeeze our eyes shut. Theoretically then it is possible that
sneezing can be life threatening. For example, driving at
speed and sneezing, flying an aircraft or standing next to someone
firing a gun.
