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Why does your nose produce so much snot when you have a cold?
by Stefanie Lechthaler
Sneeze loudly or pinch off, that is the question here
14/2/2024
Translation: machine translated
Some people's sneezes are so loud that they border on being a noise nuisance. On the other hand, it can be literally deafening for those who suppress it. Why discretion and restraint have no place when sneezing.
Droplets in the fast lane
A few years ago, scientist Lydia Bourouiba from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology thoroughly researched what happens when you sneeze unrestrainedly and without restraint, especially with regard to the risk of infection.
In order to better understand and prevent the transmission of pathogens, Bourouiba and her team filmed test subjects sneezing using high-speed cameras. Played back in slow motion, some of these recordings look like volcanic eruptions. Threads and wisps of saliva are ejected from the mouth and nose, forming a cloud of droplets. "I wünsch en Guete", the Swiss chef Annemarie Wildeisen used to say on regional television.
Don't sneeze first? Bad idea!
Now you could come to the conclusion that it's best not to sneeze at all or at least not to let it out. This may be a relief for the people around you, but there is a risk of injury for yourself. Doctors have repeatedly pointed this out in the past.
In 2018, the specialist journal "BMJ Case Reports" published the case of a 34-year-old man who was artificially fed for several days and treated with antibiotics as a precautionary measure due to a tear in his throat muscles. The tear occurred according to the treating physicians because the man had covered his nose and mouth while sneezing.
In the same medical journal in 2023, doctors reported on a man who ended up in hospital with severe throat and neck pain. He had also covered his nose and mouth to stop himself sneezing while driving. According to the case report, the enormous pressure caused a two-millimetre tear in the windpipe.
The range of possible injuries extends from the bursting of blood vessels in the nasal mucosa or even in the brain, to a rupture in the eardrum, to a potentially fatal tear in the wall of the aorta.
Let it out (protected)
I'm probably more of a loud sneeze. To be honest, I've never thought of suppressing it. In contrast to the unspeakable itching in my nose just before I sneeze, I find it incredibly liberating. Which is exactly the effect the body wants to achieve. When I sneeze, I sneeze into the crook of my arm. That's exactly what you should do for the sake of your health and the health of others.
Our five-year-old daughter also does the arm bend thing quite well, with some exceptions. She has just caught a cold and sneezed heartily into my face. Without going into detail, I'm going to wash myself thoroughly now. Still better than having to take my daughter to A&E because she's blocked her sneeze.
Header image: Shutterstock / Maridav
I'm a full-blooded dad and husband, part-time nerd and chicken farmer, cat tamer and animal lover. I would like to know everything and yet I know nothing. I know even less, but I learn something new every day. What I am good at is dealing with words, spoken and written. And I get to prove that here.
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