Health Literacy

Some Simple Ways to Make Yourself Sneeze

Woman Sneezing Cold

You’re likely acquainted with the annoying, itching feeling you get when you want to sneeze but truly can’t. This may be frustrating, particularly in case you want to clean your nasal passages or relieve congestion.

Whether you already sense that prickling sensation or you simply need to clean out any irritants, it’s possible to sneeze on command. Here are some tips that you could try.

When you experience a sneeze coming, you’re building up all this anticipation: you forestall talking, the criminal of your elbow is raised and on the ready, you’ve got got a tissue on hand, and then… nothing. The sneeze is caught up there. What are you able to do to pressure it out?

Stick a tissue up your nostril

The intention right here is to stimulate the trigeminal nerve, which sends a message for your mind that it’s time for sneezing. To do it, roll one facet of a tissue right into a point. Then, cautiously place the pointed tip in the nostril and wiggle it a little until you experience a mild tickling sensation.

Tickle below your nose

If you don’t want to stick a tissue up your nose, simply tickling below your nostrils is probably enough. For ultimate tickling, use a faux feather.

Tweeze a nose hair

Another manner to stimulate the trigeminal nerve is to pluck a nose hair. (It became in all likelihood time for a trimming anyways, right?) Be gentle with your tweezing, because the inside of your nostrils is sensitive.

If tweezing a nose hair doesn’t get it done, attempt plucking eyebrow hairs one at a time.

Massage your nose

Again, that is all about getting a reaction from that infamous trigeminal nerve. Use your palms to softly rub the bridge of your nose, pushing in a downward movement or pinching slightly.

Use the roof of your mouth

The trigeminal nerve runs alongside the roof of your mouth, so that you can use your tongue to attempt to coax the nerve into sending that coveted sneezing sign to your brain. Experiment with moving the end of your tongue gently up and down the roof of your mouth.

Sniff something strong

Some people are very sensitive to fragrances, so smelling something strong will be sufficient to get the task done. Another concept is to present your spice cupboard a mild sniff. Be cautious not to inhale something directly, of course.

Drink a carbonated beverage

As refreshing as your soda may be, your brain may perceive carbonation as a form of mild pain. In response to the activation of certain pain receptors on the tongue, some people may sneeze. And if that doesn’t work, at least you enjoyed a good drink.

Conclusion

In summary, when you’re on the verge of sneezing but it won’t happen, there are several tricks you can try. From using a tissue to tickling your nose, tweezing a nose hair, massaging the bridge of your nose, to using the roof of your mouth or even sniffing something strong, these methods aim to stimulate the trigeminal nerve and prompt a sneeze. Additionally, sipping on a carbonated beverage may also trigger a sneeze response. Always be gentle and cautious when attempting these techniques. Remember, everyone’s sensitivity to these stimuli may vary. If all else fails, a gentle tilt of the head back can encourage a sneeze.

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Paul Tomaszewski is a science & tech writer as well as a programmer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of CosmoBC. He has a degree in computer science from John Abbott College, a bachelor's degree in technology from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, and completed some business and economics classes at Concordia University in Montreal. While in college he was the vice-president of the Astronomy Club. In his spare time he is an amateur astronomer and enjoys reading or watching science-fiction. You can follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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