Sneeze on demand as easy as aachoo!

Your nose is the vent for your body’s air conditioning. And sometimes the pipes get clogged up with irritants. The body uses a sneeze-involuntary release of air-to clear the blockage. Viruses, trauma to the nose and allergens can also cause sneezing. Sometimes, you may have that itchy urge to sneeze but are unable to do […]

Your nose is the vent for your body’s air conditioning. And sometimes the pipes get clogged up with irritants. The body uses a sneeze-involuntary release of air-to clear the blockage. Viruses, trauma to the nose and allergens can also cause sneezing.

Sometimes, you may have that itchy urge to sneeze but are unable to do so. It can be annoying, especially if there is an irritant or you feel congested.

Luckily you can stimulate yourself to sneeze on demand. To know how to do it, let’s look at what causes it. Irritant and foreign bodies in the nose get trapped in mucus in the nasal passages and then travel to the stomach, where the stomach acid neutralises them. Pretty simple.

However, some particles may irritate the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. The irritation triggers the trigeminal nerve, which sends a message to the brain to trigger a sneeze. Knowing this, you can sneeze on demand by any of the methods below.

Tissue. Roll the corner of a tissue into a point, and place it in one nostril. Gently move the tissue back and forth, until feeling a tickling sensation. This action stimulates the trigeminal nerve. It is essential to take care when using this technique – do not insert the tissue too far up the nostril as it may cause pain.

Feather tickle. Some people can be induced to sneeze by simply brushing underneath the nose with a fake feather. It is not recommended to use a real feather, nor to insert the feather into the nose.

Bright light.

Some people can sneeze on demand just by looking at a bright light. It is called photic sneeze reflex. This reflex may occur because the trigeminal nerve is located beside the optic nerve.

Photic sneezing is hereditary – if one parent is affected, their child has a 50% chance of also having the reflex.

You wish to try this? Just look at a bright light suddenly. However, never look directly at the sun, as this can cause damage to the eyes.

Sniff strong perfume. Some strong perfumes and colognes can cause people to sneeze. To try this, spray a strong fragrance in the air to irritate the nasal lining.

Do not inhale the perfume particles directly, and never spray the fragrance directly into the nostril.

Tweeze nostril hair. Plucking out a single nostril hair can stimulate the trigeminal nerve to cause a sneeze. Be gentle though, as the skin in the nostrils is extremely sensitive.

Back head tilt. This technique may be especially beneficial for those who feel a sneeze coming on, but it does not quite materialize. Simply lean the head back and look upwards.

Smell spices. Spices may irritate the mucous membranes and induce sneezing, although they may cause a burning sensation in the nostrils.

Black pepper and other spices – such as cumin, coriander, and crushed red pepper – are known nasal irritants. A compound in both black and white pepper contains piperine, which irritates the mucous membranes. Likewise, capsaicin – a natural component of hot peppers – will cause a sneezing reaction.