Make Yourself Sneeze

Do you ever feel a sneeze coming on, but it just lingers in your nostrils, causing you to squirm with discomfort? Or maybe you need to get a sneeze out of your system before you give a talk, attend a meeting, eat a meal, or greet your date. Whatever your reason, there are several different ways that you can make yourself sneeze.

Steps

Using Your Sense of Smell to Trigger a Sneeze

  1. Smell some spices. Smelling certain spices can cause you to sneeze. Try searching your cupboard for a bottle of spices, such as ground black pepper, cumin, coriander, or crushed red pepper. You can open the bottle and sniff the spices or use them in your cooking and inhale through your nose as you add them.[1]
    • Grinding the spices can also cause you to sneeze. Try grinding a few peppercorns with a mortar and pestle to bring on a sneeze.
  2. Sniff a bit of capsicum extract. Capsicum is naturally derived from hot peppers, and is used in both medication and pepper spray. You can purchase a bottle of some capsicum extract or look for a product that contains it already. Don’t apply the extract to the inside of your nose because it will burn. Instead, dab a cotton swab against the top of a capsicum extract bottle and hold the cotton swab in front of your nose. Inhale the scent of the capsicum through your nose.[2]
    • If you do not have capsicum extract, then you can also cut open a hot pepper, such as a jalapeno or chili, and dab the inside of it with a cotton swab. Then, inhale the scent of the capsicum through your nose.
  3. Sniff a fizzy drink. Sniffing a carbonated beverage, especially from a soda fountain, may be all the stimulation your nose needs to let loose a sneeze. Simply drinking a carbonated beverage may work, but you can also hold the cup right under your nose and inhale through your nose.[3] This should cause you to sneeze.
    • Make sure that the soda is really fizzy. If it is flat, then there might not be enough bubbles to bring on a sneeze.
  4. Open a stick of peppermint gum. Some people sneeze from smelling peppermint. If you have some mints or peppermint gum around, then try popping one in your mouth. Inhale the scent as you enjoy the gum or mint and it may cause you to sneeze.[4]
    • You can also try sniffing a bottle of peppermint essential oil if you have some. Just open the bottle and inhale the scent of the oil through your nose.
    • Sniffing mint toothpaste may also work. Just open the cap of your toothpaste and inhale the scent through your nose.

Triggering Your Sneeze Reflex with Other Sensations

  1. Tickle your nostrils. You can trick your nose’s defense mechanisms and trigger a sneeze by gently agitating the inside of your nostrils. The inside of your nose is extremely sensitive to irritation, so you can use a tissue to brush your nostril hairs and this may induce a sneeze.[4]
    • Roll the corner of a tissue into a small point. Put the point into your nostril, then turn and wiggle the tissue - it should tickle a bit.
    • Similarly, use a fake feather to brush the underside of your nose. You don’t even have to stick the feather in your nose to irritate it. Tickling the outside of your nose will probably make you sneeze.
    • Don’t stick anything, even a tissue, into your nose any further than the inside edges of your nostrils.
    • Never use a hairpin or other small sharp instrument to stimulate your nose hairs.
  2. Try plucking out an eyebrow hair.[5] Some people will sneeze reflexively just from plucking out an eyebrow hair. To see if this will cause you to sneeze, get out a pair of tweezers and use them to pluck out a single eyebrow hair. This may be enough to bring on a sneeze.
    • Grasp the eyebrow hair near its root with the tips of the tweezers and pull the hair out quickly.
  3. Look suddenly at a bright light. Up to a third of people have a built in “photic sneeze reflex.” If you have this reflex, then you’ll probably sneeze if you suddenly see a bright light. To find out if you are one of these people, turn off the lights and sit in the dark for a few minutes. After waiting a few minutes to allow your eyes to acclimate to the darkness, look up at the light and turn it on.[6]
    • You can also close your eyes tightly while standing in direct sunlight. Block the sunlight with your hand as well. After a minute or two, remove your hand and open your eyes. Doing this may cause you to sneeze.
    • This works because the trigeminal nerve, which controls sneezing, runs right alongside the optic nerve. The over stimulation of the trigeminal nerve may cause you to sneeze.
    • Never look directly at the sun, as this can quickly damage your eyes.
  4. Take a deep breath of cold air.[4] Another good way to trigger your sneeze reflex is to take a deep breath of cold air. For instance, if you're inside and it's significantly colder outside, try stepping out and suddenly inhaling the cold air.
    • If it's not cold enough outside, try opening your freezer and leaning your face into the cold air for a few seconds.
    • Another way to do this is to take a hot shower, then stick your head out quickly and take a deep breath of cooler air.

Reducing the Urge to Sneeze

  1. Try rubbing your nose if it itches. If you nose or the area around your nose feels itchy or tingly, then this could be the reason why you feel like you have to sneeze.[7] Try giving your nose a quick rub with the back of your hand. This may reduce or eliminate the feeling that you need to sneeze. Press your tongue against your teeth as it confuses your mind thus avoiding sneezing action.
    • If the itching is severe or if it does not go away, then talk with your doctor. You might be experiencing an allergic reaction to something.
  2. Get away from allergens and irritants. Being exposed to allergens and irritants, such as dust mold, chemicals, and smoke can cause you to feel like you have to sneeze.[8] If you are in an environment with lots of allergens or irritants, then do something to eliminate or reduce these substances.
    • Try getting an air purifier for your home if you think that dust and mold may be causing your need to sneeze.
    • Do not allow people to smoke in your home. Request that they go outside and try to keep your distance if you are around people who are smoking.
    • Use chemicals, such as cleaning agents, in well-ventilated areas. Open a window and turn on a fan when you need to use any chemicals that make you feel like sneezing.
  3. Blow your nose or use a decongestant. A blocked nasal passage can also cause you to feel like sneezing.[7] If your nose is stuffed up, then try blowing your nose or taking a decongestant. This should help to relieve your urge to sneeze.
  4. Seek treatment for a severe cold. If you have a cold, then sneezing is common. Treat your cold symptoms by taking cold medicine, blowing your nose often, and using cough drops to cool your nasal passages.
    • If the cold is severe and you are not getting relief from basic cold treatments, then call your doctor. You may need a prescription medication to help ease your cold symptoms and support your recovery.
    • You can also talk to your doctor about allergy testing if you think that this may be the cause of your ongoing feeling that you need to sneeze. Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter or prescription medications that can help.

Tips

  • Have a tissue handy so that you can sneeze into it. Wash your hands as soon as possible after sneezing. If you don't have a tissue and can't wash your hands immediately, sneeze into your elbow or sleeve so that you don't spread any germs with your hands.

Warnings

  • Avoid “sneezing powder.” Once commonly sold in toy stores as a gag item, sneezing powders often include unsafe ingredients. One type of ingredient in particular – veratrum album alkaloids – have been deemed to be unsafe. While these items are still available online, do not allow yourself or others to use them.[9]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003060.htm
  2. ↑ https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/945.html
  3. ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/sneeze.html
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/sneeze.html
  5. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/11-surprising-sneezing-facts
  6. ↑ http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-bright-light-cau/
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 http://www.isdbweb.org/documents/file/1516_2.pdf
  8. ↑ http://www.isdbweb.org/documents/file/1516_2.pdf
  9. ↑ http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/15563658308990062
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