Can Holding in a Sneeze Hurt You?

Once you feel that tickle in your nose, you know there’s no turning back. A sneeze can sometimes hit you at the worst possible moments, like during a meeting, in church or while you’re carrying something and can’t cover your face! Regardless, it’s got to come out.

And it’s understandable to want to stop a sneeze so you don’t spread germs around. But holding back your “Achoo!” may actually cause more harm than good.

“While sneezing plays a major part in the spread of infection, it’s also necessary for removing irritants, allergens and other foreign debris from your sinuses,” says allergy and clinical immunology specialist, DeVon Preston, MD. “If we didn’t sneeze, our bodies could allow potentially damaging substances into our sinuses or lungs.”

Dr. Preston breaks down why you shouldn’t hold your sneeze in, and what to do instead.

Is controlling sneezing harmful?

While your intentions may be good, you should avoid holding in your sneezes. We could spend days outlining the physics, mathematics and dynamics of a sneeze, but we’re not going to do that to you. But we’ll say this: A sneeze can travel over 70 miles per hour, with incredible force behind it. That’s why holding in a sneeze can lead to all sorts of damaging outcomes.

What could happen if you hold in a sneeze?

Think back to the last time you sneezed. Oftentimes, it feels like your head spins for a second with how fast it happens. When you sneeze, your body releases a powerful burst of air through your nose and mouth to force out irritants or outside particles.

But if you try to suppress or hold in a sneeze, it can potentially lead to various issues, including:

Damage to eardrums

The pressure created by holding in a sneeze can force air and mucus into your eustachian tube, which connects the back of your nose to the middle of your ear. (These tubes open when you swallow or sneeze so air pressure or fluid won’t build up in your ears.) But holding in a sneeze creates pressure that can cause damage to your eardrum or lead to ear infections.

“Pushing infected mucus back into the eustachian tubes could cause a middle ear infection,” warns Dr. Preston. Middle ear infections can lead to holes in your eardrum — and those holes tend to require surgical repair.

Sinus problems

A sneeze is just your body’s way of kicking out unwanted material from your system. And for good reason! Suppressing a sneeze can cause the mucus and irritants to be pushed back into your sinuses, potentially leading to sinus pain, congestion and even sinus infections.

Increased pressure inside your eyes

Holding in a sneeze can temporarily increase your intraocular pressure (the pressure inside your eyes). While this usually isn’t harmful for most people, it may cause issues for individuals with certain eye conditions like glaucoma.

Ruptured blood vessels

In extreme cases, forcibly holding in a sneeze can lead to the rupture of blood vessels in your head or neck. That’s because when you hold in a sneeze, the pressure that would normally be released through your nose and mouth gets trapped in your respiratory system.

Can holding in a sneeze kill you?

While there are some known negative consequences of holding in a sneeze, there aren’t any reported cases of death due to holding in a sneeze. 

Are there ways to stop sneezing?

Stopping sneezing can be challenging, especially if it’s triggered by irritants like dust, pollen or pet dander (if you live with seasonal allergies, you know what we’re talking about!).

But there are a few strategies you can try to safely alleviate the urge to sneeze:

• Avoid triggers. Identify and avoid the triggers that cause you to sneeze, like allergens or strong odors.
• Change your environment. If you’re exposed to a trigger, try to change your environment by moving to a different room or going outside for fresh air.
• Use nasal sprays. Over-the-counter nasal sprays, such as saline sprays, can help moisturize your nasal passages and reduce irritation, potentially decreasing the frequency of sneezing.
• Try antihistamines. Antihistamine medications can help reduce sneezing caused by allergies. They block the release of histamine, a chemical that triggers allergic reactions.
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids to keep your nasal passages moist, which can help reduce irritation and sneezing.
• Use a humidifier. Adding moisture to the air with a humidifier can help alleviate dryness in your nasal passages, reducing the likelihood of sneezing.
• Try breathing techniques. Deep breathing exercises or techniques like pursed-lip breathing, taking slow deep breaths or even humming can help calm your body’s response to irritants and reduce the urge to sneeze.

Benefits of sneezing

Even though they catch you by surprise, your sneezes are doing your health a lot of good. “Some people might sneeze because of viral or bacterial infections. If you don’t sneeze, mucus can accumulate and be forced back into the eustachian tubes,” Dr. Preston reiterates.

How to cover a sneeze

As all of us want to make a conscious effort to stop the spread of respiratory illnesses, you might be afraid to let out those forceful sneezes. But don’t stop your body from doing its job. Just make sure you cover your mouth and nose during those sneeze bombs with a tissue or by sneezing into your elbow. Also, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly and wipe down nearby surfaces once those sneeze sessions are over.