QUESTION: My husband claims that when you sneeze, your heart stops.
Isn't this an old wives' tale? He will have sneezing episodes for anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes.
What causes this and what damage is he doing to his heart? He claims he has had such episodes for about 20 years.
ANSWER: Sneezing is an uncontrollable reflex that occurs when something irritates the upper air passages, such as the nose or pharynx.
First a large amount of air is pulled into the lungs and then pushed out by the breathing muscles in a rapid and forceful manner, so that a large volume of air passes through the nose and mouth at great speed.
This is designed to clear the passages of the cause of the irritation.
The heart does not stop during this action, although the rate may be altered by the changes in the timing and pattern of breathing.
Your husband, therefore, is inflicting no damage to his heart, as his 20 years of experiences surely proves.
Sneezing is frequently caused by allergens such as pollen, or the increased mucous flow in the nasal passages provoked by a cold.
However, other irritations may be the root of the problem such as cigarette smoke, an abrupt change in air humidity or temperature, the smell of certain perfumes and even bright light or high pitched sounds in certain sensitive individuals.
No damage occurs, provided the sneeze is not suppressed but allowed to happen, while mouth and nose are gently covered to prevent the spread of germ carrying droplets.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
