How To Sneeze When You Have That ‘Want to Sneeze But Cannot Sneeze’ Feeling

Last Updated on 2021-03-10 , 4:33 pm

We’ve all at least felt like this once in our life. You feel a sneeze coming on but no matter how long you wait, it never comes out. And to top it off, it’s damn uncomfortable as well.

The sensation before a sneeze is uncomfortable and when it lingers, it’s going to spoil your day.

Then, all of a sudden, as you’re dining in a high-SES restaurant, you sneeze out loud. #Truestory So how to sneeze and get rid of that feeling? Well, here’s how.

How to Sneeze When You’ve That Feeling Like You Have to Sneeze But Can’t

And this phenomenon is pretty common in people. So common that if you were to Google, how to sneeze if you feel like sneezing but cannot sneeze, you’re going to get a lot of results.

From tickling your nose to sniffing spices and eating peppermint gums, there are countless tricks out there that will help you get that irritating sneeze out of your system.

But there’s one trick we use that never, ever failed. At least for us, that is.

Look into a bright light

Some of us have what is called the photic sneeze reflex. When you suddenly look at a bright light source, you’ll trigger that reflex and sneeze.

To check if you possess this reflex, here’s what you got to do. First, close your eyes and make sure you’re in total darkness.

Then, look at a light source and switch it on. If you sneeze, congratulations, you got one easy way to make yourself sneeze!

Remember, the trick is to be in total darkness first before exposing yourself to a bright light.

Why it works

The nerve that controls sneezing is called the trigeminal nerve and it runs alongside the optic nerve.

When you over trigger the optic nerve (by suddenly subjecting yourself to a bright light source), chances are you’ll trigger the trigeminal nerve and cause sneezing.

So, when you’re outside, simply close your eyes and use your hand to ensure no light enters the optic nerves for a minute or two. Open your eyes and sneeze. Just make sure you don’t look directly at the sun as it might just damage your eyes.

Try this trick and let us know if it works for you!

Featured Image: Nattakorn_Maneerat / Shutterstock.com