Here’s why you need to stop holding your nose when you sneeze

We're all guilty of it, lads.

You're out and about, minding your own business, without a tissue handy, perhaps a little under the weather, and suddenly, you feel it. A sneeze. It's coming and you are powerless to stop it. The only logical thing to do seems to be to hold your nose, prevent anything from shooting out anywhere, and go about your day. Sneeze suppression is an epidemic and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. However, there should be because one man who held in a sneeze ended up rupturing his throat and nobody wants that to happen. The unfortunate fellow, who had previously been of good health, spent a week in hospital after he ruptured the back of his throat by holding his nose during a sneeze. He was unable to speak or swallow due to the condition, according to findings published in BMJ Case Reports.  He also suffered considerable pain and swelling. Doctors in the UK are now warning people against holding in their sneezes because of this patient. They said:

"Halting sneezing via blocking (the) nostrils and mouth is a dangerous manoeuvre, and should be avoided "It may lead to numerous complications, such as pseudomediastinum (air trapped in the chest between both lungs), perforation of the tympanic membrane (perforated eardrum), and even rupture of a cerebral aneurysm (ballooning blood vessel in the brain)."

The man was discharged from hospital after seven days.