Do you hold in your sneeze? Reasons why you should not

Why Do We Sneeze?

Sneezing is a natural reflex that is out of our control. Many different medical conditions can cause sneezing as a symptom, but at the core, we sneeze in an effort to clear things out of our nose and nasal passages that should not be there, such as foreign bodies, irritants, pollutants, allergens, bacteria, viruses, excess mucus, and more. The body may also trigger a sneeze as a tool to help prevent germs and other harmful substances from entering the body.

When we try to hold in a sneeze, whether to be polite or to avoid spreading germs, serious medical consequences can occur as a result of the buildup of pressure that occurs in the respiratory system.