Accchhooo! Sneezing. How does it happen and how to avoid it?

You are in a public place, a church, in a library, in a most romantic date, a a most solemn situation and something is irritating or tickling the inside of your nose then suddenly you want to haaacccchhhhuuuuuuoooo!!! Sneeze. What will you do?



According to http://en.wikipedia.org ,  A sneeze (or sternutation) is a semi-autonomous, convulsive expulsion of air from the lungs through the nose and mouth, usually caused by foreign particles irritating the nasal mucosa. A sneeze expels air forcibly from the mouth and nose in an explosive, spasmodic involuntary action resulting chiefly from irritation of the nasal mucous membrane.^[1] Sneezing is possibly linked to sudden exposure to bright light, sudden change (fall) in temperature, breeze of cold air, a particularly full stomach, or viral infection, and can lead to the spread of disease.


How does a sneeze happen?

kidshealth.org says ... When the inside of your nose gets a tickle, a message is sent to a special part of your brain called the sneeze center. The sneeze center then sends a message to all the muscles that have to work together to create the amazingly complicated process that we call the sneeze.

Some of the muscles involved are the abdominal (belly) muscles, the chest muscles, the diaphragm (the large muscle beneath your lungs that makes you breathe), the muscles that control your vocal cords, and muscles in the back of your throat.

Don't forget the eyelid muscles! Did you know that you always close your eyes when you sneeze?

It is the job of the sneeze center to make all these muscles work together, in just the right order, to send that irritation flying out of your nose. And fly it does — sneezing can send tiny particles speeding out of your nose at up to 100 miles per hour!

Most anything that can irritate the inside of your nose can start a sneeze. Some common things include dust, cold air, or pepper. When you catch a cold in your nose, a virus has made a temporary home there and is causing lots of swelling and irritation. Some people have allergies, and they sneeze when they are exposed to certain things, such as animal dander (which comes from the skin of many common pets) or pollen (which comes from some plants).

Do you know anyone who sneezes when they step outside into the sunshine? About 1 out of every 3 people sneezes when exposed to bright light. They are called photic sneezers (photic means light). If you are a photic sneezer, you got it from one of your parents because it is an inherited trait. You could say that it runs in your family. Most people have some sensitivity to light that can trigger a sneeze.

Have you ever had the feeling that you are about to sneeze, but it just gets stuck? Next time that happens, try looking toward a bright light briefly (but don't look right into the sun) — see if that doesn't unstick a stuck sneeze!

How To Stop Sneezing?

If you are in that embarrassing situation and you need to temporarily suspend sneezing or to stop it immediately, you just simply massage the tip up to the upper portion of your nose.

If you are planning a long term solution to the problem, http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com suggests:

• Nettle is a natural cure for sneezing. While most of the people make nettle tea to ease the inflammation of nasal passages, it is suggested to take nettle supplements to get rid of sneezing. Take the supplement the moment your nose gets a little twitchy.
• Include citrus fruits and vegetables, containing Vitamin C, in your diet. The nutrient is known to reduce the amount of histamine in the body, thereby controlling sneezing. You should drink a glass of orange juice or lemonade, when you are suffering from common cold.
• Include vegetables, containing bioflavonoid, in your diet. The antioxidant activity of bioflavonoid works in the same way as Vitamin C. Bioflavonoid limits the body's production of histamine in the body, thereby reducing the tendency to sneeze.
• Allergy-inducing elements, such as dust, can trigger sneezing. Therefore, keep your home clean by vacuuming and dusting it frequently. Such practices will ensure a sneeze-proof home. Make sure to vacuum-clean your area rugs, carpets and curtains on a regular basis.
• Moist places, such as bathroom and basement, harbor the growth of mold, which is also responsible for triggering sneezing. Clean the places and make them free of such growth.  
• Microscopic skin flakes, known as 'dander', are also responsible for allergy and, the resultant, sneezing. To get rid of the problem, it is suggested to clean pillows, bedding and mattress daily. You should also change the bed spreads and pillow covers at least once a week.
• Although people are fond of dogs and cats, majority of them are allergic to the pets. Airborne particles are easily deposited under the skin and hair of dogs, cats and other pets. To reduce the amount of the allergy-causing particles from spreading in the air, it is vital to wash your pets at least once a week. By keeping your pets clean, you will be able to get rid of sneezing.
• Pollens can cause sneezing and even trigger other allergic reactions. To prevent the pollens from entering your nasal tract, put on a facial mask, covering the nose, while working in your home garden.
• Studies show that furnace filters harbor dust particles, causing allergic reactions like sneezing. Therefore, it is advisable to change your furnace filters at least once a month. You should not forget to clean them regularly.
• You should water-wash the air filters of your air conditioning system at least once a month.
• Air filtration devices are available in the stores, which work effectively in reducing the pollen grains present in the air. Make use of such a device, to prevent the sneezing that has pollens as its cause.