Have you ever felt the urge to sneeze, find that you don't have a tissue on-hand, and just choose to hold it in? According to Dr. Joseph Donzelli of Midwest ENT Consultants – an ear, nose and throat practice in Chicago's West Suburbs—you should never stop a sneeze, ever.
"Imagine bringing your car to racetrack-level speeds on the interstate, and then slamming on the breaks," says Dr. Donzelli. "The tires would smoke and squeal, the car would lurch, and all passengers would brace themselves for possible impact. Stopping a sneeze can have a similar impact on the body."
As we move into flu and cold season and sneezes become frequent, Dr. Donzelli says it's important to understand what causes a sneeze and the negative impact that stopping a sneeze can have on our bodies, especially on our ears and throat. Dr. Donzelli says that allergies are usually the root cause of sneezing, which means that reducing interaction with the following irritants can prevent persistent sneezing:
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- If you have pets, be sure to brush them and vacuum your home frequently to avoid animal dander.
- Regularly remove dust from your house, even from hard to reach places like fan blades and behind furniture.
- Remember to replace your air filter and keep extra filters on hand.
Physicians see patients in four west suburban Chicago offices: Geneva (Delnor Medical Office Building, 351 Delnor Dr., #310), Naperville (Springbrook Medical Building, 1247 Rickert Dr., #200), Plainfield (Plainfield Edward Medical Building B, 24600 W. 127th St., #130) and Winfield (Central DuPage Hospital, 25 N. Winfield Rd., #519).
