Sneeze, but don’t pass infections

Have you ever been around someone who sneezes on end, especially when they step into bright lights and you end up getting tired of saying “bless you” each time they sneeze, in addition to being worried about the implications for your health?

Generally, doctors say, sneezing is caused by an irritation of the lining of your nose. According to family physician, Dr. Grace Odeleke, “When you sneeze, it shows that something is probably irritating or tickling the interior of your nose. So, it is your body’s way of removing an irritation from your nose.”

Sneezing contributes to the spread of viruses, germs, and disease, carrying with them whatever ailments and contaminations of the individual through the air and onto objects.”

Good sneezing habits

Do not hold your nose or block your mouth while sneezing. Doing so can cause serious injury. The force and velocity of the average sneeze, if prevented from ejection from the body, can eventually cause hearing loss and damage the blood vessels in your head, especially if you make a habit of stopping a sneeze when it’s already begun.

•If you’re around others, you risk spreading harmful bacteria when you let one (or two or three or maybe even four) out into the air. The ‘spray’ you emit can reach up to five feet away from you! That’s a radius that encompasses a lot of people. So, be careful!

•If you can, sneeze into a tissue and dispose of the tissue. If a tissue isn’t available, sneeze into your sleeve. If you do end up sneezing into your hands, be sure to wash them afterwards. Your hands touch doorknobs, your face, surfaces, and other people constantly. And, if you happen to be away from water, carry hand sanitiser to save the day.

•When you’re in a group of people, you’ll surely be given the evil eye if you wind up for a sneeze and deliver with flying success. You’re spreading germs and disrupting the flow, so it’s best to sneeze as discretely as possible.

•Sneezing into your elbow can diffuse the sound. If that’s not an option, grab a tissue, tilt your head down, and sneeze as quietly as possible.

•Make it a habit to carry a tissue or handkerchief with you at all times, so that you don’t feel the need to withhold a sneeze unnecessarily.

•If you do sneeze, take precautions to not spread disease. Many doctors now recommend sneezing into the inside of the elbow rather than the hands to discourage the spread of germs. At the very least, you should cover your mouth and nose so as to prevent spraying germs into the air. You can blow mucus into a tissue, then wash your hands as soon after as possible to prevent the spreading of your disease.

Source: wikihow.com