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What Causes Sneezing?

  • Common Cold: Common cold is considered to be a virus related condition which can lead to symptoms such as headache, sneezing and runny nose. Sneezing is mostly triggered when the mucous membranes of the nose as well as the throat get irritated. When the cold virus tends to infect the nasal cells then the body starts to release its own natural inflammatory mediators which is histamine. When this is released the inflammatory mediators can lead to the blood vessels to get dilated and leak thereby leading to the mucus glands to secrete the fluids. This then causes irritation thereby leading to sneezing effect.
  • Allergic rhinitis: This allergic rhinitis would refer to the body’s way of reacting to a specific kind of allergens. An individual suffering from this allergy would experience symptoms such as sneezing or itching of the eyes. An individual may probably start to sneeze to get rid of the particle which is stuck in the nasal cavity.
  • Injury to the nose: Bleeding from the nose are very much common to those individuals who tend to suffer injury to the nose. This can then lead to series of sneezing effect in the individual.
  • Hay Fever: Those individuals who are allergic to allergens such as pollen, mold, dander, and dust mites are known to cause symptoms such as sneezing. This can mostly happen to those individuals who are exposed to these kind of substances.
  • Use of Corticosteroids: Inhaling or breathing in corticosteroids which are contained in sprays can also lead to effects of sneezing.The medicines which have been used for treating allergies can also lead to the sneezing effect. These nasal corticosteroids are known to cause drying up of the nasal passages. In case if you find out that the cause of the sneezing is this medication then you can also face other symptoms such as stinging of the nose or the throat getting irritated.
  • Drug withdrawal symptoms: Those individuals who were currently taking any medications and have withdrawn from those drugs or withdrawn from alcohol can also at times experience recurrent case of sneezing. Medications which have been used for a longer duration of time and if the individual suddenly stops using those medicines since it is no longer required then also it can lead to triggering of sneezing hence in such situations one should speak to their doctor and plan out a proper withdrawal plan from these medicines to avoid any kind of withdrawal symptoms.
  • Certain trigger items: There are certain items which can also lead to effects of sneezing. Those items are spicy food, dryness in the air, certain kind of powders, dust and certain kinds of medications.While you are at home and if there is no proper airflow then it can lead to pollutants being available in the indoor air. These can also lead to sneezing effect. The levels of indoor air pollutants are known to be 100 times higher than the ones present outside. Also as per CDC, an individual spends more than 90 percent of their time at home itself thereby making a bigger deal for tacking these indoor air pollutants. Hence it becomes important to get proper ventilation installed at home to tackle these air pollutants.
  • Respiratory Infections: There are certain respiratory infections which can also lead to symptoms of sneezing. Those infections are herpes and chlamydia.
  • Use of intranasal vaccinations: Vaccinations which prevent individual from getting any kind of respiratory infection can also lead to sneezing effect in individuals after they have been administered.
  • Dental disease: Any kind of dental infections can lead to the bacteria residing in the sinus which then also lead to severe case of inflammation as well as sneezing.