Hello hay fever – why pressing under your nose could stop a sneeze but why you shouldn't

• It is a protective reflex action outside our conscious control, to remove irritants from inside our nose.
• You can sometimes stop a sneeze by holding your nose or pressing underneath it.
• But given the velocity of a sneeze, it might not be a good idea to stop it after it has started.

An involuntary reflex

• When a threshold amount of irritant signals reach the brain, the sneeze reflex is triggered.
• A sneeze first involves a deep intake of breath and a build-up of pressure inside the airways.
• This is then followed by contraction of the diaphragm and rib muscles, reflex closing of the eyes and a strong exhalation.

The trigeminal nerves

• The trigeminal nerves are the largest of our 12 pairs of cranial nerves and the largest sensory nerves in the body.
• The left and right trigeminal nerves carry sensory information from the face to the brain.

Sensory nerves communicate in the spinal cord

• Sensory nerves travel to the brain via the spinal cord.
• The sensory nerves that carry pain and irritant signals are narrow, whereas those that carry touch information are wider and faster.
• In the spinal cord, these nerves communicate with each other via interneurons before sending their message to the brain.

So does putting your finger under your nose stop a sneeze?

• These include pulling your ear, putting your tongue to the roof of your mouth or the back of your teeth, touching your nose, or even sticking your finger in your nose.
• Read more:
  Forget nose spray, good sex clears a stuffy nose just as effectively — and is a lot more fun

But should you stop a sneeze?

• Should you stop it?
• Closing your mouth or nose during a sneeze increases the pressure in the airways five to 20 times more than a normal sneeze.
• With no escape, this pressure has to be transmitted elsewhere and that can damage your eyes, ears or blood vessels.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.