Why do people sneeze?
"Be healthy!"We say to the person who sneezed, but sneezing is not always a harbinger of the disease - a cold, allergic or some other, in many cases it's just a reaction to an unpleasant or pungent smell.
We sneeze or hear someone sneeze, almost every day, but, surprisingly, very little is known about this process. So why do people sneeze?
What is sneezing?
The scientific definition of sneezing is this: It is a protective unconditioned reflex, the task of which is to clear the respiratory tract from irritating substances - dust, mucus, etc. This reflex occurs only in humans and higher animals.
Sneezing: Causes
- Irritation of the nasal mucosa with dust, allergens and other irritants. Among the most popular irritants are: dust, pepper, coffee, tobacco smoke, perfume.
- Catarrhal diseases and other diseases associated with the defeat of the respiratory tract.
- Sharp change in the temperature of the environment - when you go into a warm apartment from the frosty street, you can sneeze.
- Hormonal changes - pregnant women very often complain of causeless sneezing and swelling of the nasal mucosa, a phenomenon called rhinitis of pregnant women.
Sneezing mechanism
As a result of the action of one of the listedthe person begins to feel tickling in the nose. The body starts to prepare - at first you automatically take a deep breath, then the soft palate rises, the front arch of the pharynx contracts, the back of the tongue rises to the hard sky, eyes close. Then intercostal muscles, diaphragm, rectus abdominis muscles and laryngeal muscles are contracted. Finally, an energetic exhalation takes place with the opening of the nasopharynx - actually sneezing.
Interestingly, in England, a sneezed mansay "Bless you", which means "I bless you". This phrase is due to the fact that during the sneezing heart rate goes down by milliseconds - the heart seems to be suspended.
In addition, read another article of our site - Why a man sneezes.
