A 34-year old previously fit and healthy British man lost his throat after he stifled his sneeze by trying to keep his mouth closed. The sneeze in return fired back and ruptured the man's throat causing him severe pain and swelling in the neck. According to Dr. Richard Harvey, a rhinology specialist, suppressing an incoming sneeze not only risks the rupture of the throat but can also affect person's hearing ability permanently or can even damage the brain, depending on the person's anatomy.
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#1 Stifling A Sneeze
After hearing this bizarre case the medical world is in confusion. According to the reports, a frightening case has been reported by the journal BMJ, according to which a 34-year old British man ruptured his own throat by stifling a very strong sneeze. The reports claim the previously healthy man tried to contain his sneeze by holding his mouth closed and pinching the nose bridge, which turned out to be quite dangerous for him.
#2 The Sneeze Backfired, Rupturing The Throat
Explaining the situation the doctors claim that the sneeze backfired into the man's mouth which perforated his pharynx, a part found between oesophagus and larynx. The man didn't realize the damage immediately but soon he started to notice changes when he figured his voice changed also his throat hurt whenever he tried to move his head. Following it, his neck started to swell.
He also started to experience weird sensations of popping and crackling in his throat.
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#3 Subcutaneous Emphysema And Pneumomediastinum
The man was taken into the emergency of Britain’s Leicester Royal Infirmary where the doctors examined his condition. After getting the X-ray the doctors figured out the situation. The strong sneeze ruptured his throat which allowed the air bubbles to travel into the tissues and muscles of the chest.
This condition which is medically termed as subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum was the reason behind the weird popping sensations the man was feeling in his throat.
#4 Condition Caused Mostly By Vomiting, Strong Cough Or Through Trauma
According to the doctors, this condition itself is very rare as spontaneous rupture of the pharynx occurs only if a person goes through some trauma, strong coughing or vomiting. Even the doctors were initially surprised by the man's symptoms.
Doctors after understanding the situation took quick action to prevent any deep neck infection.
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#5 Stifling A Sneeze Can Also Affect Other Body Parts
Rhinology specialist Professor Richard Harvey from the University of New South Wales and Macquarie University states that the British man's case is strange but not unusual as a case similar to this was reported back in 2011. Dr Harvey says, "There are other things you can bust by holding in a sneeze. You can blow air into your orbit basically your eye socket. Most people who get orbital emphysema it just looks awful, they get this big puffy eye. It's not usually associated with sight loss."
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#6 A Person Can Lose Hearing Ability Permanently
According to Dr Harvey apart from going to the eye or throat, a strong sneeze can also affect a person's hearing ability, "They transmitted the force of the sneeze up their nose, through the eustachian tube and up into their middle ear." Also depending on his anatomy it can also force air up into someone's forehead cavity, make them more susceptible to injuries if they had a recent nasal surgery.
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#7 Don't Hold Your Sneeze In
An important lesson we have learnt after hearing this horrifying incident is to never ever suppress sneeze in future. As Dr Harvey says, "The whole point in sneezing is that you don't hold a sneeze in. Don't hold your sneeze in. And don't force your nose blow."
