Sneezing
Something to sneeze at
We all know what a sneeze feels like: the sudden onset of a tickling sensation, followed by the forceful eruption of air through the nose and mouth. You may have tried to stifle a sneeze, but while you can sometimes muffle the roar, you cannot suppress the sneeze itself.
Sneezing is usually a mild and temporary situation. It's the nose's response to an allergen or irritant. When the mucous membranes of your nose or throat become tickled or irritated, your body responds by trying to force out the offending invader with a blast of air. Some people are very sensitive to any kind of irritation in their nose, while others can tolerate a significant irritation without any reaction. Antihistamine drugs are usually effective at clearing up sneezing, if it is due to exposure to airborne allergens.
Possible Underlying Causes
You sneeze when the delicate mucous membranes of your nose and throat are irritated. When exposed to irritants and allergens, your body responds by forcefully expelling them along with a burst of air through the mouth and nose.
Colds and upper respiratory infections can make you sneeze, since these conditions cause significant irritation to the delicate mucous membranes of the nose and throat. Allergic reactions can also bring on bouts of sneezing as the body releases histamines in response to allergenic particles. Histamines cause an inflammation and fluid production in the nasal passage and lungs, which can lead to sneezing as the nose becomes irritated.
Triggers of Sneezing
Many factors can trigger sneezing. A cold or upper respiratory infection can cause sneezing, and people with allergies will often sneeze in response to irritating particles. The following allergens often trigger sneezing attacks:
- Pollen
- Dust mites
- Pet dander
- Grass
- Mold
Diagnosing the Underlying Cause
Sneezing is usually mild and temporary, and typically results from:
- A common cold or another upper respiratory infection
- Hay fever (also known as allergic rhinitis)
- Allergies
- Inhalation of irritating fumes or noxious gases
Hay fever can be very severe in some individuals, and during periods of high allergen exposure (such as grass or ragweed pollen season) may persist daily for weeks-- or even for two to three months.
In rare cases, sneezing may be the result of a more serious underlying condition. The following conditions may have sneezing as one of their symptoms:
- Opiate withdrawal
- Whooping cough
- Anaphylaxis (a rare but severe allergic reaction)
Diagnostic Procedures
Sneezing is not usually a serious condition. However, your doctor may want to find the underlying cause of this symptom. To do so, he or she may perform X-rays, do a skin test to check for allergies, or check your antibody levels.
Goals of Treatment
The goal of treatment is to identify and treat the underlying condition that is causing the sneezing. It is also important to reduce any discomfort the sneezing and related symptoms cause you.
Treatment Options
Drugs most commonly used
- Over-the-counter antihistamines. Usually effective at clearing up sneezing, these drugs also cause drowsiness. Newer prescription antihistamine drugs are available that don't make you drowsy (such as Allegra and Claritin).
- Allergy shots are often prescribed for those with poorly controlled allergic rhinitis symptoms. Consult an allergist if your sneezing is persistent or if it's accompanied by another troublesome symptom. Skin tests can help determine the exact cause of your allergic reaction. Once your doctor identifies a specific cause, a series of shots can help desensitize you to the offending allergen.
Special diets
- Avoid foods that trigger allergic reactions.
- If your sneezing is due to allergies, see our Allergies section.
- If your sneezing is due to a cold, see our Cold & Flu section.
Preventing Sneezing
If you are only allergic or sensitive to a small number of things, complete avoidance may prevent symptoms. Still, it is unlikely that you will be able to prevent sneezing altogether since so many common factors can contribute to it. But you can reduce your exposure to sneeze-causing particles by following these suggestions:
- Remove pets from your home to avoid animal dander. Bathing them frequently will reduce dander.
- Use air filters in your home and office to decrease airborne pollens and dust.
- Keep your home and office thoroughly clean to minimize dust mites and mold.
- Wear a filter mask when cutting grass, pulling weeds, or raking leaves.
- Keep your windows closed in your home, office and car to stop pollens from drifting inside.
- Monitor local air quality by keeping up with newspaper, radio, and television reports.
- Try to stay indoors early in the day, when pollen is released (although high levels can happen later in windy conditions).
- Stay away from respiratory irritants like smoke, dust, and chemical fumes.
- If you smoke, quit. Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Avoid exposure to the common cold and other respiratory infections.
- Herbs, supplements, and other alternative remedies may be helpful. Learn more in Allergies: Alternative Care and Common Cold: Alternative Care.
Sneezing and Illness
If you catch a cold or other sickness that results in sneezing, the following additional tips may help:
- Drink hot liquids. They soothe the throat and have decongestant action. One study suggests that chicken soup, a traditional cold remedy, is a better decongestant than other hot liquids.
- Rest. Give yourself a chance to heal. Resting also limits your contact with other people, so there's less chance of spreading your cold.
- Avoid milk. Some people swear it thickens their respiratory mucus when they have colds, adding to their congestion. While this claim is unproven, you might want to avoid dairy items for a few days if they seem to aggravate your symptoms.
- Cut down on sugar. Some research suggests that sugar (sucrose, fructose, and honey) impairs the white blood cells that fight cold viruses. In one study, 100 grams of sugar (about the amount in two cans of soda) significantly reduced white blood cell activity.
When to call the Doctor
Consult your doctor if your sneezing is persistent and unresponsive to over-the-counter antihistamines.
Websites & Organizations
AIR -- Allergy Internet Resources
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
611 East Wells St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Phone: 414-272-6071
American Allergy Association
P.O. Box 7273
Menlo Park, CA 94026
Phone: 650-322-1663
American Institute of Preventive Medicine
30445 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 350
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Phone: 800-345-2476
American Public Health Association
1015 Fifteenth St., NW
Washington, DC 2005
Phone: 202-789-5600
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
1717 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Suite 305
Washington, DC 20036
202-265-0265
National Health Information Center
P.O. Box 1133
Washington, DC 20013-1133
Phone: 301-565-4167 or 800-336-4797
Fax: 301-984-4256
Email: nhicinfo@health.org
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892
The On-Line Allergy Center
3410 Far West Blvd. Ste. 110
Austin, TX 78731
Phone: 800-842-6349
Email: allergy@sig.net
Sources & Further Reading
Books
Balch, James F. and Balch, Phyllis A. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Garden City Park, NY: Avery Publishing, 1997.
Bennett, J. Claude and Plum, Fred. Cecil Textbook of Medicine, eds. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders, 1996.
Fauci, Anthony J. et. al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, eds. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998.
Hardman, Joel G. and Limbird, Lee E. Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics eds. New York: McGraw Hill, 1996.
Hurst, J. Willis. Medicine for the Practicing Physician eds. Stamford, CT: Appleton & Lange 1996.
Murray, Michael T. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Prima, 1998.
Noble, John. Primary Care Medicine ed. St. Louis: Mosby, 1996.
Physicians' Desk Reference. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Co., 1998.
Rakel, Robert E. Conn's Current Therapy eds. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 1998.
Taylor, Robert B. Family Medicine: Principles and Practice. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1998.
Tierney, LM, McPhee, SJ, and Papadakis, MA. Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment eds. Stamford, CT: Appleton & Lange, 1998.
Articles
Askenasy JJ, "The history of sneezing." Postgrad Med J, 66(777):549-50. Jul 1990.
Bascom, R, Kulle, T, Kagey-Sobotka, A, Proud, D. "Upper Respiratory Tract Environmental Tobacco Smoke Sensitivity." Am Rev Respir Dis. 143(6):1304-11. Jun 1991.
Butani, L, O'Connell, EJ. "Functional Respiratory Disorders." Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 79(2):91-9; quiz 99-101. Aug 1997.
Druce, HM. "Chronic Rhinitis." Allergy Proc. 11(6):295-8. Nov-Dec 1990.
Ferguson, BJ. "Allergic Rhinitis. Recognizing Signs, Symptoms, and Triggering Allergens." Postgrad Med. 101(5):110-6. May 1997.
Graft, DF. "Allergic and Nonallergic Rhinitis. Directing Medical Therapy at Specific Symptoms." Postgrad Med. 100(2):64-9, 73-4. Aug 1996.
Kirkpatrick, GL. "The Common Cold." Prim Care. 23(4):657-75. Dec 1996.
Luks, D, Anderson, MR. "Antihistamines and the Common Cold. A Review and Critique of the Literature." J Gen Intern Med. 11(4):240-4. Apr 1996.
Naclerio, RM. "The Role of Histamine in Allergic Rhinitis." J Allergy Clin Immunol. 86(4 Pt 2):628-32. Oct 1990.
Schuh, KJ, Schuh, LM, Henningfield, JE, Stitzer, ML. "Nicotine Nasal Spray and Vapor Inhaler: Abuse Liability Assessment." Psychopharmacology. 130(4):352-61. Apr 1997.