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2083688 tn?1334601661

sneezing

I always held in my sneezes since before I can remember. I held one in a few minutes ago and started wondering if its bad to hold them in now that I'm pregnant. I'm already 2 days short of being 36 weeks pregnant so I hope its not harmful. Im jus curious cus my muscles in my tummy kinda tightened up and didn't recognize it ever doing it til this time.
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583196 tn?1429221155
hey,
i think it was me who asked why. i understand not wanting to sneeze on your hands. but don't you sneeze into your bent arm? that is the 'proper' way to cough and sneeze where i am. they teach kids to do this at schools. that way they don't sneeze into their hands and then touch other kids who can get sick. perhaps keeping tissues handy is a good idea too. or wash your hands or keep hand cleaner in your purse. no matter how you sneeze it the sneeze affects everything in a 10 foot area anyway...so the solid stuff that hits your hands isn't the only germs coming from that sneeze that might affect others. i understand not wanting to get wet but germs are good for you. in any case baby will be in your arms in two weeks and after that you will have other things to worry about with sneezing...like not peeing your pants. ; ) heehee
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Avatar universal
"Suppressing a sneeze can be harmful, particularly to your ears... Studies have found that the air expelled during a sneeze travels at an amazing 100 miles per hour, and spews out up to 5,000 droplets, which may be propelled up to 12 feet in a single sneeze.... By clamping your mouth closed an pinching your nose shut, you force the "sneeze" into the eustachian tube (which connects the back of the throat to the middle ear) and then to your eardrum. Sneeze strong enough, and you could rupture an eardrum, causing acute pain, infection, bleeding, and even hearing loss." "The chances of your getting a brain aneurysm from a sneeze, stifled or otherwise, are pretty slim. But it could happen. ... Is suppressing a sneeze bad? Could be, due to something called the Valsalva maneuver, better known as a way of relieving pain in the ears caused by a rapid change in elevation. While pinching your nostrils shut, you blow into your nose hard. This opens the Eustachian tubes connecting your inner ear with your throat and equalizes the pressure on either side of your eardrums. But because the Valsalva maneuver increases pressure in the chest, it also briefly blocks the blood flow entering the heart, causing a sharp fluctuation in blood pressure. Conceivably this could cause an aneurysm to rupture."(The Straight Dope: Archives) When you stifle a sneeze, you can prevent the clearance of the germs or irritants from your body and increase your needs to keep sneezing or develop an infection. So stifling a sneeze out of politeness may do more harm than good. As for me,I'm gonna let it all out!
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1926656 tn?1334970201
Lol np sorry we turned it into a battle ground lol
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2083688 tn?1334601661
Thanks guys :) for the person who asked why I hold them in, its cus I don't like spraying out germs, even if I cover it with my hand, it still gets on my hand.
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1926656 tn?1334970201
Btw if you look up intercranial anatomy you would see there is no physical connection between your nasal passages/sinuses, and your brain.  Theres soft tissue, BONE, the menenges, fluids,  then the brain.  Unless theres super burrowing bacteria, then I think holding your sneeze is odd.... But safe.
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1926656 tn?1334970201
That is true, and it can causejust general ear discomfort. I forgot about that lol
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Avatar universal
I don't know if its bad for your baby but I do know that you can blow your eardrums if u hold in your sneezes
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1926656 tn?1334970201
Ok.  Yea I've worked with neurologists, pulmanologists, oncologists, and GI specialists as a nurse's assistant in one of the best hospitals in my state for seven years.... I have no clue what I'm taking about.
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Avatar universal
Ok I'm gonna go with the medical advice & not u. Why would she make it up? & yes holding in a sneeze the bacteria can go to ur brain.
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583196 tn?1429221155
really!!! that unfortunate. sorry to hear that.
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1926656 tn?1334970201
Lol I hate sneezing personally, makes my sinuses hurt lol
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583196 tn?1429221155
thank you factorymomma for clearing that up! i was reading and thinking someone had to stop the madness!
i don't understand why you would resist a sneeze at all? its not like its impolite to sneeze or anything. not only that but they are so satisfying when you do! they actually say that sneezing is close to a tiny orgasm! i always figure you are sneezing for a reason. i don't understand why you would hold them back every time. so i challenge you to let the sneeze out and see how it feels. : )
Helpful - 0
1926656 tn?1334970201
There is no physical way "holding a sneeze" can send bacteria or a virus into your brain.  Your brain is heavily protected from outside invaders and it takes them coming in from the bloodstream to affect your brain.
When you hold a sneeze your larynx closes cutting off the air flow to your nose/sinuses causing the sneeze.  This would cause your diaphragm and stomach to "jump".
Sneezes are not mainly caused by infection of the nose.  They're from dust, pollen, and other general irritants we encounter through our day.
If we could get menengitis from holding a sneeze there would be literature and probably a general medical caution (like cough in your sleeve to prevent transmission of illness) about it.
You might strain your diaphragm, causing slight pain that would go away within about an hour.  Rib pain, or just general muscle pain.  Nothing to worry about though lol.
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Avatar universal
I read once that one in every billion (or trillion, I think) dies for holding in a sneeze, I should Google it
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Avatar universal
Actually its very bad to hold on your sneezes. Not bc ur pregnant but bc it sends the bacteria from ur sneeze into ur brain & u can get meningitis. My son came down with it & the dr told us to never, ever hold in a sneeze. I used to do it all the time until I found out the health risks
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Avatar universal
I hold in my sneezes too! Everybody makes fun of me. I dont see how it could harm your baby? I think you are fine.
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