What causes a sneeze?
In most cases, sneezing is the body's way of expelling an irritant from the nose. It also can be a reaction to allergies. But many other things have been shown to cause people to sneeze, including light (called photic sneezing), combing hair, tweezing eyebrows, rubbing the inner corner of the eyes, overeating, orgasm.
Can you stifle a sneeze?
Sometimes you can stop it before it comes. But trying to stop it after it has started can be dangerous.
Does the heart really stop during a sneeze?
You'd better hope not! A "stopped" heart is serious stuff. Sneezes are powerful, however. They increase the pressure in your chest and change blood flow. It's possible what people are thinking about when they say a sneeze stops your heart is that an enthusiastic sneeze occasionally may make your heart flutter or skip a beat. But, no, it doesn't stop it - not even momentarily.
What is the speed of a sneeze?
No one knows for sure, and scientific estimates vary widely. The most conservative estimators put the velocity of a sneeze at 100 mph. Then again, the JFK Health World Museum in Barrington, Ill., pegs the speed of a sneeze at 630 mph.
What is the world sneezing record?
The Guinness Book of World Records' longest sneezing fit is 977 days, comprising more than a million sneezes.
What role did sneezing play in the history of movies?
That goes back to Thomas Edison, who copyrighted the first film on Jan. 7, 1894. The quick movie snippet showed Edison's assistant, Fred Ott, sneezing. The title (what else?): "Fred Ott's Sneeze."
Has sneezing been studied much?
More than 50 major research papers have been written on it worldwide since 1991, including research into backward sneezing in dogs and turtle sneezing.
Is sneezing dangerous?
As a rule, no. It's actually beneficial in removing irritants and clearing the nasal passages. But as with everything, there are exceptions. The medical literature includes instances where a patient damaged his aorta with persistent and violent sneezing.
Is the inability to sneeze dangerous?
In India, they apparently think so. Psychology Today reported that while sneezing is seen as healthy there, the inability to sneeze is considered a medical problem known as "asneezia." No joke. The people of India have long used snuff as a way to artificially induce what they see as a lusty and cathartically healthy sneeze.
Do animals sneeze?
Most do, said Liz Harmon, general curator for the Kansas City Zoo. Some animals she has seen sneeze include tortoises, tigers, parrots, bears, wolves, gorillas, chimps and orangutans. On the other hand, she has never seen a bird, snake or insect sneeze.
What animal sneezes the most?
Iguanas, according to reptile experts, sneeze more often and more productively than any other animal. Sneezing is how they rid their bodies of certain salts formed by their digestive processes.
In most cases, sneezing is the body's way of expelling an irritant from the nose. It also can be a reaction to allergies. But many other things have been shown to cause people to sneeze, including light (called photic sneezing), combing hair, tweezing eyebrows, rubbing the inner corner of the eyes, overeating, orgasm.
Can you stifle a sneeze?
Sometimes you can stop it before it comes. But trying to stop it after it has started can be dangerous.
Does the heart really stop during a sneeze?
You'd better hope not! A "stopped" heart is serious stuff. Sneezes are powerful, however. They increase the pressure in your chest and change blood flow. It's possible what people are thinking about when they say a sneeze stops your heart is that an enthusiastic sneeze occasionally may make your heart flutter or skip a beat. But, no, it doesn't stop it - not even momentarily.
What is the speed of a sneeze?
No one knows for sure, and scientific estimates vary widely. The most conservative estimators put the velocity of a sneeze at 100 mph. Then again, the JFK Health World Museum in Barrington, Ill., pegs the speed of a sneeze at 630 mph.
What is the world sneezing record?
The Guinness Book of World Records' longest sneezing fit is 977 days, comprising more than a million sneezes.
What role did sneezing play in the history of movies?
That goes back to Thomas Edison, who copyrighted the first film on Jan. 7, 1894. The quick movie snippet showed Edison's assistant, Fred Ott, sneezing. The title (what else?): "Fred Ott's Sneeze."
Has sneezing been studied much?
More than 50 major research papers have been written on it worldwide since 1991, including research into backward sneezing in dogs and turtle sneezing.
Is sneezing dangerous?
As a rule, no. It's actually beneficial in removing irritants and clearing the nasal passages. But as with everything, there are exceptions. The medical literature includes instances where a patient damaged his aorta with persistent and violent sneezing.
Is the inability to sneeze dangerous?
In India, they apparently think so. Psychology Today reported that while sneezing is seen as healthy there, the inability to sneeze is considered a medical problem known as "asneezia." No joke. The people of India have long used snuff as a way to artificially induce what they see as a lusty and cathartically healthy sneeze.
Do animals sneeze?
Most do, said Liz Harmon, general curator for the Kansas City Zoo. Some animals she has seen sneeze include tortoises, tigers, parrots, bears, wolves, gorillas, chimps and orangutans. On the other hand, she has never seen a bird, snake or insect sneeze.
What animal sneezes the most?
Iguanas, according to reptile experts, sneeze more often and more productively than any other animal. Sneezing is how they rid their bodies of certain salts formed by their digestive processes.
