A
abujagirl
Guest
Two medical doctors have advised people not to terminate sneezing, especially violent ones, midway, as this may cause damage to their eyes and eardrums.
The doctors who spoke with newsmen in separate interviews on Thursday added that sneezing plays a crucial role in the body and stopping it midway could have serious health consequences.
Dr Adedeji Afolayan, a general physician at the Isolo General Hospital, Lagos, said that a sneeze was a protective mechanism that expels irritants that could harm the lungs.
"When the nasal passageways come into contact with dusty particles, it signals the brain to respond by coordinating the muscles to forcefully expel the irritants out of the nasal pathway. Sneezing may occur due to the presence of causative substances like dust, chemical allergies, and viral infections.
"So if the sneeze is one with a lot of force, stifling the sneeze by either closing your nasal passage or mouth can damage your eyes or eardrums,’’ he said.
Afolayan added, "when you stop yourself midway in a sneeze, the energy generated by it and the nasal fluids are prevented from leaving your system. You force the nasal fluids back into your body system and the pathogens can affect your ears and nose,’’ he said.
Another physician in the same hospital, Dr Adewunmi Alayaki, said that stifling a sneeze could result to damage occasionally.
"Stopping a sneeze in mid-way is dangerous because the energy of the sneeze and fluids associated with it are attempting to make a rapid exit out of the nostrils. But if it happens to be one of the unlucky cases, it may lead to several unhealthy situations.
"It can cause a rupture in the eardrum or an injury to the inner ear that could even lead to hearing loss. It can also weaken a blood vessel in the brain and cause it to rupture, due to the momentary elevation of blood pressure.
"The next time you get the urge to stifle a sneeze, you might want to have a rethink; even when sneezing is unpleasant,’’ he added.
The doctors who spoke with newsmen in separate interviews on Thursday added that sneezing plays a crucial role in the body and stopping it midway could have serious health consequences.
Dr Adedeji Afolayan, a general physician at the Isolo General Hospital, Lagos, said that a sneeze was a protective mechanism that expels irritants that could harm the lungs.
"When the nasal passageways come into contact with dusty particles, it signals the brain to respond by coordinating the muscles to forcefully expel the irritants out of the nasal pathway. Sneezing may occur due to the presence of causative substances like dust, chemical allergies, and viral infections.
"So if the sneeze is one with a lot of force, stifling the sneeze by either closing your nasal passage or mouth can damage your eyes or eardrums,’’ he said.
Afolayan added, "when you stop yourself midway in a sneeze, the energy generated by it and the nasal fluids are prevented from leaving your system. You force the nasal fluids back into your body system and the pathogens can affect your ears and nose,’’ he said.
Another physician in the same hospital, Dr Adewunmi Alayaki, said that stifling a sneeze could result to damage occasionally.
"Stopping a sneeze in mid-way is dangerous because the energy of the sneeze and fluids associated with it are attempting to make a rapid exit out of the nostrils. But if it happens to be one of the unlucky cases, it may lead to several unhealthy situations.
"It can cause a rupture in the eardrum or an injury to the inner ear that could even lead to hearing loss. It can also weaken a blood vessel in the brain and cause it to rupture, due to the momentary elevation of blood pressure.
"The next time you get the urge to stifle a sneeze, you might want to have a rethink; even when sneezing is unpleasant,’’ he added.