Like most of us, I’ve always intuitively believed that holding in a sneeze is a bad idea without really understanding what the ramifications were. I am sad to report that they are probably exactly as bad as you were imagining.
A case reported published today in the BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) detailed an incident which should exist pretty solidly within most people’s ‘Top 25 Worst Possible Nightmares’, where a man attempting to hold in a sneeze blew a goddamn hole in his throat.
The 34-year-old was trying to stifle the sneeze by clamping his mouth and nose shut (bit strange, but sure) when the resultant pressure caused his pharynx to blow out (the pharynx is the bit just sort of up and behind your larynx [the larynx is part of your throat (if you need me to explain more than this, I simply cannot help you)]).
According to the case report, a newly perforated throat isn’t the only thing that can happen:
Halting sneeze via blocking nostrils and mouth is a dangerous manoeuvre and should be avoided, as it may lead to numerous complications such as pneumomediastinum, perforation of tympanic membrane and even rupture of cerebral aneurysm.
Oh cool, it can also make your eardrums explode or cause a brain aneurysm to rupture, potentially giving you a stroke. Can’t wait to feel extremely paranoid every time I sneeze now, awesome.
Luckily the man turned out fine, after being given antibiotics to prevent infection and a feeding tube because there was a DAMN HOLE IN THIS THROAT, he was sent home a week later on a soft food diet.
