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Hello hay fever – why pressing under your nose could stop a sneeze but why you shouldn’t

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-nealon-1481995">Jessica Nealon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> If you have <a href="https://theconversation.com/sniffles-sneezing-and-cough-how-to-tell-if-its-a-simple-allergy-rather-than-the-virus-139657">hay fever</a>, you’ve probably been sneezing a lot lately. Sneezing is universal but also quite unique to each of us. It is a protective reflex action outside our conscious control, to remove irritants from inside our nose. The <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/holding-in-a-sneeze">pressure in the airways</a> during a sneeze is more than 30 times greater than heavy breathing during exercise. Estimates of how fast a sneeze travels range from <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0059970">5 metres a second</a> to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19617285/">more than 150 kilometres per hour</a>. You can sometimes stop a sneeze by holding your nose or pressing underneath it. This is related to the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/gate-control-theory">gate control theory of pain</a> and the idea you can change neural responses with external stimulation. But given the velocity of a sneeze, it might not be a good idea to stop it after it has started. <h2>An involuntary reflex</h2> A sneeze is initiated when sensory nerves in our nose are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1753465809340571?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed">stimulated by an irritant</a> such as allergens, viruses, bacteria or even fluid. The sensory nerves then carry this irritant information to the brain. When a threshold amount of irritant signals reach the brain, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077498/">sneeze reflex is triggered</a>. A sneeze first involves a deep intake of breath and a <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-we-sneeze/">build-up of pressure inside the airways</a>. This is then followed by <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/back-pain/back-pain-when-sneezing#sneezing-as-a-cause">contraction of the diaphragm</a> and rib muscles, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077498/">reflex closing of the eyes</a> and a strong exhalation. These are the “ah” and the “tchoo” phases of a sneeze. On the exhalation of a sneeze, your tongue is lifted to the roof of your mouth. This <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.202004-1263PP">closes off the back of the mouth</a> so the air is forced mostly through your nose. The air expelled through the nose flushes out the irritants that caused the sneeze. The “tch” sound of a sneeze is the reflexive touching of the tongue to the roof of your mouth. <h2>The trigeminal nerves</h2> The trigeminal nerves are the <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21998-cranial-nerves">largest of our 12 pairs of cranial nerves</a> and the largest sensory nerves in the body. The left and right trigeminal nerves carry sensory information from the face to the brain. This includes touch, pain and irritation sensory information from the facial skin and from inside the nose and mouth. Within each trigeminal nerve are thousands of individual nerve branches that each carry a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1744806920901890">specific type of sensory information</a>. <h2>Sensory nerves communicate in the spinal cord</h2> <figure class="align-right zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="drawing of face with nerves labelled" /></a><figcaption>Henry Gray’s anatomical illustration of the trigeminal nerve. <a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Gray778.png">Gray's Anatomy/Wikimedia Commons</a></figcaption></figure> Sensory nerves travel to the brain via the spinal cord. The sensory nerves that carry pain and irritant signals are narrow, whereas those that carry touch information are wider and faster. In the spinal cord, these nerves communicate with each other via interneurons before sending their message to the brain. The interneurons are the “gates” of the <a href="https://www.physio-pedia.com/Gate_Control_Theory_of_Pain#:%7E:text=and%20trigger%20%E2%80%A2-,Introduction,be%20let%20through%20or%20restricted.">gate control theory of pain</a>. A nerve carrying a pain signal tells the interneuron to “open the gate” for the pain signal to reach the brain. But the larger nerves that carry touch information can “close the gate” and block the pain messages getting to the brain. This is why rubbing an injured area can reduce the sensation of pain. <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.01037/full">One study</a> showed stimulating the trigeminal nerves by moving the jaw reduced tooth pain. We can observe this in action when babies instinctively <a href="https://chaimommas.com/2013/11/05/what-to-expect-with-teething-and-tooth-development-chart/">bite on things or pull their ear</a> when they are teething. These actions can stimulate the trigeminal touch nerves and reduce pain signals via the gate control mechanism. <h2>So does putting your finger under your nose stop a sneeze?</h2> There are <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-stop-sneezing">many suggestions</a> of how to stop a sneeze. These include pulling your ear, putting your tongue to the roof of your mouth or the back of your teeth, touching your nose, or even sticking your finger in your nose. All of these stimulate the trigeminal touch nerves with the goal of telling the interneurons to “close the gate”. This can block the irritant signals from reaching the brain and triggering a sneeze. <h2>But should you stop a sneeze?</h2> What if an irritant in your nose has triggered a sneeze response, but you’re somewhere it might be considered inappropriate to sneeze. Should you stop it? Closing your mouth or nose during a sneeze increases the pressure in the airways <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26914240/">five to 20 times more than a normal sneeze</a>. With no escape, this <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1945892418823147#:%7E:text=The%20high%20Valsalva%20pressure%20generated,to%20all%20people%20who%20sneeze.">pressure has to be transmitted elsewhere</a> and that can damage your eyes, ears or blood vessels. Though the risk is low, brain aneurysm, ruptured throat and collapsed lung have been <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/holding-in-a-sneeze#can-holding-a-sneeze-kill-you">reported</a>. So it’s probably best to try and prevent the sneeze reflex by treating allergies or addressing irritants. Failing that, embrace your personal sneeze style and <a href="https://theconversation.com/handkerchief-or-tissue-which-ones-better-for-our-health-and-the-planet-213065">sneeze into a tissue</a>. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215265/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-nealon-1481995">Jessica Nealon</a>, Lecturer in Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/hello-hay-fever-why-pressing-under-your-nose-could-stop-a-sneeze-but-why-you-shouldnt-215265">original article</a>.

Body

Sneezing with hay fever? Native plants aren’t usually the culprit

Hay fever is a downside of springtime around the world. As temperatures increase, plant growth resumes and flowers start appearing. But while native flowering plants such as wattle often get the blame when the seasonal sneezes strike, hay fever in Australia is typically caused by introduced plant species often pollinated by the wind. <h2>A closer look at pollen</h2> Pollen grains are the tiny reproductive structures that move genetic material between flower parts, individual flowers on the same plant or a nearby member of the same species. They are typically lightweight structures easily carried on wind currents or are sticky and picked up in clumps on the feathers of a honeyeater or the fur of a fruit bat or possum. Hay fever is when the human immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. It is not only caused by pollen grains but fungal spores, non-flowering plant spores, mites and even pet hair. The classic symptoms of hay fever are sneezing, runny noses, red, itchy, and watery eyes, swelling around the eyes and scratchy ears and throat. The problem with pollen grains is when they land on the skin around our eyes, in our nose and mouth, the proteins found in the wall of these tiny structures leak out and are recognised as foreign by the body and trigger a reaction from the immune system. <h2>So what plants are the worst culprits for causing hay fever?</h2> Grasses, trees, and herbaceous weeds such as plantain are the main problem species as their pollen is usually scattered by wind. In Australia, the main grass offenders are exotic species including rye grass and couch grass (a commonly used lawn species). Weed species that cause hay fever problems include introduced ragweed, Paterson’s curse, parthenium weed and plantain. The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5102629/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">problematic tree species</a> are also exotic in origin and include liquid amber, Chinese elm, maple, cypress, ash, birch, poplar, and plane trees. Although there are some native plants that have wind-spread pollen such as she-oaks and white cypress pine, and which can induce hay fever, these species are exceptional in the Australian flora. Many Australian plants are not wind pollinated and <a href="https://blog.publish.csiro.au/austpollinatorweek/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">use animals</a> to move their clumped pollen around. For example, yellow-coloured flowers such as wattles and peas are pollinated by insect such as bees. Red- and orange-coloured flowers are usually visited by birds such as honeyeaters. Large, dull-coloured flowers with copious nectar (the reward for pollination) are visited by nocturnal mammals including bats and possums. Obviously Australian plant pollen can still potentially cause the immune system to overreact, but these structures are less likely to reach the mucous membranes of humans. <h2>What can we do to prevent hay fever attacks at this time of the year?</h2> With all of this in mind, here are some strategies to prevent the affects of hay fever: <ol> <li>stay inside and keep the house closed up on warm, windy days when more pollen is in the air</li> <li>if you must go outside, wear sunglasses and a face mask</li> <li>when you return indoors gently rinse (and don’t rub) your eyes with running water, change your clothes and shower to remove pollen grains from hair and skin</li> <li>try to avoid mowing the lawn in spring particularly when grasses are in flower (the multi-pronged spiked flowers of couch grass are distinctive)</li> <li>when working in the garden, wear gloves and facial coverings particularly when handling flowers consider converting your garden to a native one. Grevilleas are a great alternative to rose bushes. Coastal rosemary are a fabulous native replacement for lavender. Why not replace your liquid amber tree with a fast growing, evergreen and low-allergenic lilly pilly tree?</li> </ol> <h2>If you do suffer a hay fever attack</h2> Sometimes even with our best efforts, or if it’s not always possible to stay at home, hay fever can still creep up on us. If this happens: <ul> <li>antihistamines will reduce sneezing and itching symptoms</li> <li>corticosteroid nasal sprays are very effective at reducing inflammation and clearing blocked noses</li> <li>decongestants provide quick and temporary relief by drying runny noses but should not be used by those with high blood pressure</li> <li>salt water is a good way to remove excessive mucous from the nasal passages.</li> </ul> Behavioural changes on warm, windy spring days are a good way of avoiding a hay fever attack. An awareness of the plants around us and their basic reproductive biology is also useful in preventing our immune systems from overreacting to pollen proteins that they are not used to encountering. This article first appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/sneezing-with-hay-fever-native-plants-arent-usually-the-culprit-190336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Body

Twin ordered to pay sister $170,000 over sneeze

A sneeze has cost an NSW woman more than $170,000 after her twin sister successfully sued her over a traffic accident. Caitlin Douglas, budding lawyer, was awarded a six-figure sum by the NSW District Court after she suffered lower back pain as a result of a crash in October 2016. Judge Leonard Levy found the 21-year-old’s future earning capacity had been reduced by $150,000 because she was unable to lift more than 10kgs and would be hindered in her ability to work long hours. “The regular or intermittent experience of pain and the need for tailored and defined working restrictions along with the practical need for ergonomic furniture, and the need to make provision for regular breaks, is likely to be seen by a prospective legal employer to be negative factors in a competitive employment market,” Judge Levy said. “Even if the plaintiff continues to do well academically. Rightly or wrongly, the reality is that often, without over-explanation, able-bodied candidates are preferred to those with a disability.” She was awarded a total of $172,500, including $10,000 for future domestic assistance, $7,500 for future treatment costs and $5,000 for out-of-pocket expenses. The court heard that Ms Douglas was injured when she was the front-seat passenger during a car accident in which her twin sister Brighid was the driver. Her sister sneezed and lost control of the car before hitting a tree, which caused Ms Douglas to experience whiplash-like injuries and experienced lower back pain. Judge Levy found that in the future, Douglas would be hindered in her chosen profession because she had difficulty sitting for long periods and carrying heavy objects. “If illustration of the lifting and carrying component of legal work was required, it would be sufficient to recognise that the weighty folders that were provided to the court, weighed several kilograms,” Judge Levy said. “It is well-recognised from observing litigation over a long period that trolleys laden with such materials are most commonly pulled and pushed by the most junior members of a legal practice.”

Legal

Sneeze with Ease!

Over 200 million people worldwide live with incontinence, and in Australia alone 1 in 4 people have some form of incontinence which is even higher for older members of the community. The onset of menopause, prostate issues, pelvic surgeries, hysterectomies or even just having children can lead to bladder and bowel control problems, which can be difficult to deal with. Despite its prevalence, the reality is no one plans for a future with incontinence and coming to terms with this condition can be challenging. Developing the right routine and learning to manage your needs, or the needs of another you care for, can often take time and feel frustrating. An important element of this is finding the right product solution, and with many factors to consider such as ongoing cost, comfort, convenience and product bulkiness this can prove overwhelming. The Challenges of Buying Continence Management Products The traditional route used by many is to head to the supermarket or local pharmacy, only to be faced with a personal care aisle full of products that vary greatly in style, size, features and degrees of absorbency. It can prove both difficult and confronting to stand in front of rows of products trying to figure out what will work best. A Smarter Way One Australian company offering a better way is ConfidenceClub, innovative, Australian business with a genuine interest in the lives of people who live with this common condition. Founded by two online retailing veterans in collaboration with one of Australia’s leading experts in continence management products, ConfidenceClub offers a focused range of quality products that are discreetly delivered to your door with no fuss. “We really wanted to make life easier for those who live with incontinence” said Gavin Basserabie, co-founder of ConfidenceClub. “With the evolution of online shopping and the convenience of fast and discreet national delivery, we felt we could improve the experience while providing better products and savings. And if you are one of the roughly 50 percent of ConfidenceClub customers who are buying for someone else, we offer a great way to save you time that can be better spent with your loved one.” Saving Time and Money By going direct to the consumer, ConfidenceClub offers great performing products at significantly cheaper prices than other well-known brands. Orders can be placed on the phone or online and are quickly delivered straight to your door in discreet packaging. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/sneeze-with-ease">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Caring

Sneezed bacteria travels farther than you think – and lasts longer

It’s cold and flu season and the sounds of coughs and sneezes are commonplace in the air. But don’t get lax on following the well-worn advice of covering your mouth and washing your hands, because Australian researchers have discovered how far sneezed and coughed bacteria spreads and how long it remains in the air – and it’s worse than you thought. Scientists at Queensland University of Technology found a subset of pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterial species associated with hospital infections, expelled from a sneeze or cough can hang around in the air for as long as 45 minutes after. The force of a sneeze or cough can also propel the bacteria up to four metres. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9qqHOKUXY5U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> This video uses high-speed imaging to show how far some cough and sneeze droplets travel after a sneeze. "Our previous research had found that these pathogens travelled up to four metres and stayed viable for 45 minutes after being coughed into the air," Lidia Morawska, co-lead researcher and Director of the International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health,<a href="https://www.qut.edu.au/news/news?news-id=118758"> said in a statement</a>. "We wanted to find out how bacteria-carrying droplets expelled by sneezes or coughs travel such distances and remain able to infect other people after such a long time." Professor Morawska said the research team found that the bacteria in the cough droplets decayed in two different time spans. “As soon as cough droplets hit the air they rapidly dry out, cool and become light enough to stay airborne. They also partly degrade through contact with oxygen in the air, with larger droplets taking much longer to evaporate. “We found that the concentration of active bacteria in the dried droplets showed rapid decay with a 10-second half-life for most of the bacteria but a subset of bacteria had a half-life of more than 10 minutes,” she said. “This suggests some of the pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria are resistant to rapid biological decay and thus remain viable in room air long enough to form an airborne infection risk, especially to people with respiratory problems such as patients with cystic fibrosis.” So make sure next time you feel a sneezing fit coming on, full cover your mouth and wash your hands after!

Body

8 surprising things in your home that make you sneeze

Find yourself sneezing up a storm at home? Here are eight unexpected things that could be triggering your “achoos”. 1. Scented candles/sprays/diffusers A 2011 study found home fragrances – like candles, room sprays, and diffusers – are a common cause of respiratory allergies. If you’re particular susceptible, any strong scent or perfume can be a trigger for your sneeze. 2. Vacuuming Not all vacuum cleaners suck up dust and particles properly. A badly maintained vacuum will dredge up dust and spread it around the home. Make sure you regularly clean your machine and change the bag when it’s three-quarters full. If the vacuum is too full, the suction is inhibited and won’t be able to effectively suck up that dust. 3. Open window It might be cooling to prop open a window in the house, but the cold breeze could be responsible for the tickle in your nose. Cold air can irritate your nasal passage or stimulate the nerve running through your nose, both of which trigger sneezing. 4. Flowers Indoor plants and flowers can produce pollen, which are irritating to sensitive noses. If you’re prone to sneezing, steer clear of strong-scented blossoms and try more neutral-smelling blooms for your next vase of flowers. 5. Sun-drenched rooms It’s a strange phenomenon called “photic sneeze reflex” where light, particularly sunlight, causes some people to reflexively sneeze. Roughly one quarter of the population has this strange sneezing reflex, but its affects vary widely. 6. Bathmats The damp conditions of bathmats is a haven for mould to grow. When the spores disperse in the air, it can cause sneezing. If you don’t already, make it a habit to wash your bathmat every week. 7. Soft toys If you’ve got a box full of soft toys for when the grandkids are over it could be the culprit behind your sneezing fits. Dust mites are commonly found in furry toys so make sure to wash them occasionally, especially if they’ve been played with recently. 8. Air-conditioner/Heater Your heating and cooling system is the perfect breeding ground for dust, mould and bacteria. When you switch the system on, all those sneeze-triggers will just fly into the air. Make sure you clean the filters, especially if you haven’t used it for months. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/01/household-uses-for-vaseline/">Clever uses for Vaseline around the house</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/01/natural-ways-to-get-rid-of-cockroaches/">8 natural ways to get rid of cockroaches</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/01/how-to-keep-food-for-longer/">15 great kitchen hacks to extend the life of food and save on waste</a>

Home & Garden

8 surprising things in your home that make you sneeze

Home & Garden

This is what a baby hedgehog sounds like when it sneezes

We bet you’ve never heard a hedgehog sneeze, much less a baby hedgehog. These adorably small critters were brought to the care of Wildlife Aid Foundation in the UK and while being tagged – their spikes are like nails, hence the nail polish – they let out some tiny sneezes. As you can imagine, it was too adorable for words. Related links: <a href="/news/news/2015/07/chameleon-popping-bubbles/">Video of chameleon popping bubbles is pure joy</a> <a href="/news/news/2015/07/rescued-elephant-celebrates-freedom/">Terribly thin elephant rescued and enjoying freedom</a> <a href="/news/news/2015/07/peanut-turtle-litter/">Turtle lives 20 years after being cut free from a six-pack ring</a>

News

6 cats caught mid-sneeze to make you laugh

Even cats, rulers of the internet, and vain as they are, fall victims to a bad photo every now and again. Despite the presence of a camera, these six cats couldn’t hold back their sneeze any longer, and now we get to have a chuckle.Related links:<a href="/news/news/2015/02/ninja-cats/" target="_blank">Ninja cats show off their supreme skills</a><a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/01/cat-instagram-accounts/" target="_blank">Cat lovers, you need to see these Instagram accounts</a><a href="/lifestyle/pets/2015/02/cute-baby-animal-pictures/" target="_blank">These cute baby animals are sure to brighten up your day</a>

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Hello hay fever – why pressing under your nose could stop a sneeze but why you shouldn’t

Sneezing with hay fever? Native plants aren’t usually the culprit

Twin ordered to pay sister $170,000 over sneeze

Sneeze with Ease!

Sneezed bacteria travels farther than you think – and lasts longer

8 surprising things in your home that make you sneeze

8 surprising things in your home that make you sneeze

This is what a baby hedgehog sounds like when it sneezes

6 cats caught mid-sneeze to make you laugh

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