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

Middle Ear Infection

The body uses the sneezing reflex to clear irritants, viruses, excess mucus, allergens, and bacteria from your nose. Therefore, it stands to reason that holding in a sneeze means those foreign bodies will remain inside your nose, potentially causing future problems.

Bacteria that is not expelled from the body during a sneeze may end up making its way from the nasal passages into the middle ear, potentially resulting in a middle ear infection. Additionally, infected mucus that backs up into the ears can also contribute to an infection.