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Sneezing Health Channel

Feature Article

Illustrations for this article

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Throat anatomy

Sneezing

Definition

A sneeze is a sudden, forceful, involuntary burst of air through the nose and mouth.

See also:

Alternative Names

Sternutation

Considerations

Sneezing is caused by irritation to the mucous membranes of the nose or throat. It can be very bothersome, but is generally not a sign of a serious problem.

Common Causes

Home Care

Avoiding exposure to the offending allergen is the best way to control sneezing caused by allergies.

Tips to reduce your exposure:

  • Change furnace filters
  • Remove pets from the home to eliminate animal dander
  • Travel to areas with low pollen counts
  • Use air filtration devices to reduce pollen in the air
  • Wash linens in hot water (at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit) to temporarily kill dust mites

In some cases, moving out of a home with a mold spore problem may be necessary.

Sneezing not due to an allergy will disappear when the underlying disorder is cured or treated.

Call your health care provider if

Call your provider if sneezing adversely affects your life and home remedies do not work.

What to expect at your health care provider's office

Your medical provider will perform a physical exam and examine your the upper respiratory tract. You will be asked questions about your medical history and symptoms such as:

  • During what time of year is sneezing the worst?
  • When did the sneezing begin?
  • How long do sneezing episodes last?
  • Do you have a history of allergies?
  • Have you been outdoors more than usual?
  • Do you have any new pets?
  • What have you done to try to relieve the sneezing?

Continue reading this article

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Use Healthline to search the web for more Sneezing information.

Health Videos


Hey Doc why do we sneeze? Dr. Charlotte Grayson: Good question but I think I've got the answer for this one, sneezing is something all of us do, and it's u...
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David: Hi! I am David from Carson, California. My question is why do I see stars when I sneeze? Victoria Pelak: David, thats a very interesting question. M...
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Coughing, sneezing, and hiccups are all involuntary actions. The cough reflex is stimulated by dust entering the air passages of the lungs. With the glotti...
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Do you know what sternutation means? Everwell has the answer.
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Audra Lowe: The typical flu season as we all know is December to March, but concerns over the Swine Flu have health officials scrambling right now to get p...
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Host: Colds, everyone gets them but no one wants them. How much do you know about keeping sniffles and sneezes away? Stay along with our everwell challenge...
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A cold is an infection in the upper respiratory tract. Colds are caused by a virus. Your child may catch a cold through close contact with someone who is c...
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Sherry Damatarca: You are all stuffed up have a headache and may be even a mild fever. Is it a cold, a flu or could it be something else? A new leger marke...
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Why the Flu Is More Common in Winter Joe: My name is Joe from Clearwater, Florida. My question is why do most people seem to get the flu in the winter? Cou...
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A cold is an infection in the upper respiratory tract. Colds are caused by viruses. People spread the virus through sneezing, coughing, close contact, or t...
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Influenza, also known as the flu, is a respiratory infection caused by a virus. The virus spreads through close contact with someone who is sneezing or cou...
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Audra Lowe: Parents to Principals to the President. It seems like everybody is preparing for the H1N1 virus. So today in Better parenting, Tony talks to so...
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Jennifer Mathews: It's flu season, but Marilyn Rotundo isn't getting a regular flu shot. Marilyn is one of 75 seniors taking part in a study of the avian o...
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Host: What is the difference between the colds and allergies? Ronald Turner: The differences between cold and allergies really first start with the way tha...
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Many different viruses can cause influenza, or flu, a contagious illness of the respiratory tract. Flu is spread through the air when an infected person co...
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Influenza, also known as the flu, is a respiratory infection caused by a virus. The virus spreads through close contact with someone who is sneezing or cou...
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You've all been hearing a lot about the Swine Flu outbreak in the news lately and we want to make sure you have all the information you need to stay safe. ...
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Male: Dr. Marcus, a lot of kids seem to have runny noses and runny eyes and sometimes you think it is a cold but it keeps lasting too long. How much is it ...
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How to Fight the H1N1 Virus Rebecca Brayton: The H1N1 or swine flu virus has caused a major frenzy and panic in the general population mainly because those...
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