Disclaimer : this article is just for educational purpose and it is NOT supposed to make people worried about sneezing as me myself consider sneezing a big fun
Sneezing is the body's way of removing irritants
Almost anything that irritates the nose can trigger a sneezing fit, including dust, strong smells, temperature changes and infections. Allergic people also sneeze, because they release irritant chemicals like histamine into the nose when they come into contact with allergens like dust mite, pollens or animals. Histamine irritates nerve endings (triggering sneeze and itch), makes bloods vessels in the nose swell and leak fluid (blocked nose) and drives mucus glands to work harder (runny nose). That is why antihistamines can help allergies.
Sneezing is hard work
Sneezing is a complex reflex. It starts with irritation of the lining of the nose, and ends in an explosion of air from the nose and mouth. Nerve impulses travel from the nose to the brain, then back to other nerves that control the muscle of the abdomen, chest, diaphragm, neck, face and eyelids as well as the mucus glands and blood vessels of the nose. That's why we always end up closing our eyes when we sneeze, and why the nose often runs afterwards.
Getting rid of the bad humors
Some cultures have considered sneezing as a sign of good fortune whereas others have seen it as an omen of death. Indeed, the saying "God Bless You" is thought to have arisen during the Bubonic Plague of the 6th century, where sneezing was one of its early symptoms.
Unusual facts about sneezing
The material spread by sneezing can travel 2-3 metres, at a speed of around 150 km/hour, so it's a very efficient way of spreading germs. Some people sneeze when they pluck their eyebrows, get cold or go out into the sun. "Sun sneezing (Photic sneezing)" often runs in families, and occurs in around one in four people. The world record for sneezing is held by Donna Griffiths from Worstershire in the UK, who sneezed for 978 days in a row, stopping on 16 September 1983 (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com ). For those with hay fever, it's also very hard to avoid exposure to allergic triggers. Allergen has been found in underwater submarines, in scuba tanks, the Antarctic and even in space! (In space, no one can hear you sneeze?) Some even credit the development of movies to Thomas Edison's serial photographs of someone sneezing in 1894.
Sneezing can also be debilitating
Allergy affects 1 in 5 Australians, yet is often considered more a nuisance than a major disease. Unfortunately, those with severe allergies have a miserable time, and end up physically and emotionally exhausted. Severe allergies have a major impact on quality of life, sleep quality, mood, work performance in adults and learning in children. Severe hay fever is also associated with a number of medical complications, such as more frequent sinus and middle ear infections, and harder to control asthma. Fortunately, a number of safe and effective treatments are available.
http://www.allergycapital.com.au/Pages/Sneeze.html
and here is an interesting fact...regarding the reason why xtians say "God bless you" after sneezing
Among the pagans of Flanders, a sneeze was an omen. When Saint Eligius (died 659/60) warned the pagans of Flanders against their druidical practices, according to his companion and biographer Ouen, he included the following: "Do not observe auguries or violent sneezing or pay attention to any little birds singing along the road. If you are distracted on the road or at any other work, make the sign of the cross and say your Sunday prayers with faith and devotion and nothing inimical can hurt you."
Roman Catholics Christianize this pagan custom with the following tale: The custom of saying "God bless you" after a violent sneeze was begun literally as a blessing. Pope Gregory I the Great (540-604 AD) ascended to the Papacy just in time for the start of the plague in 590 AD (his successor succumbed to it). To combat the plague Gregory ordered litanies, processions and unceasing prayer for God's intercession. When someone sneezed, they were immediately blessed ("God bless you!") in the hope that they would not subsequently develop the plague. This custom persists among speakers of many languages: common social responses to sneezes in English include "Bless you" and "Gesundheit" (German, "health").
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneezing
btw....don't believe that the heart stop while sneezing...its a myth
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akhi, very interesting.
Originally Posted by Al-Nasser
