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Hatschi threatens health damage, if you suppress sneezing?
Atchoo! The fact that you keep your hand in front of your mouth and nose while sneezing is clear even to young children. But some people also try to suppress sneezing as a matter of courtesy. But that's not dangerous, as is so often claimed?
Sneezing removes dirt from the nose
Be it when cooking, when pepper gets in the nose, during a walk, when pollen is flying or because of a cold: every person has to sneeze again and again. This innate protection mechanism ensures that nasal secretions, dust and other foreign bodies are removed from the nose. Of course, for reasons of hygiene, you should always hold your hand or sneeze into the crook of your arm. But there are also people who suppress the sneeze for reasons of politeness. However, according to health experts, this is not entirely safe.
Sneezing can be dangerous. (Image: mkrberlin / fotolia.com) The air is finding its way
Actually, it is a polite gesture to suppress sneezing. But who does that endangers his health.
A research team reported in the journal "PLOS ONE" that the mini-droplets leave the body when sneezing as fast as when coughing.
According to experts, the particles fly out of the nose at a speed of up to 150 kilometers per hour.
Of course, if you stop them, the air will look for another way. And that can be dangerous.
Better not suppress sneezing
By holding the nose, a pressure builds up, which presses the pathogens or dirt into the sinuses or towards the middle ear. There can be an inflammation.
In addition, the increase in pressure often causes pain, especially if the mucous membranes are already irritated or swollen anyway because of a cold.
Serious injuries are unlikely, but not excluded, according to medical experts. In rare cases, damage to the eardrum can occur.
There are also reports in the medical literature of people who have become deaf because they had closed their noses while sneezing.
Others write about cracks in the main artery, blood clots in the brain or even miscarriages. For health reasons, it is therefore better to let the pressure out. (Ad)