Man Ruptured Throat & Hospitalized for a Week After Holding Back a Sneeze

By
Jia Hui
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Last Updated on 2021-11-21 , 1:56 pm

I have never done this before, but can we talk about how difficult it is to stifle a sneeze?

They happen so suddenly, we often do not have enough time to get to a “safe area”.

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And it sucks even more when you’re in a meeting or an exam hall. That means you’ll have to stifle it and try to create the least amount of noise possible.

Well, if you’re admitting to this fate, then this might be news to you too.

According to Newsweek, a 34-year-old man ended up with a ruptured throat after trying to stifle his sneeze.

What happened

The man tried to pinch his nose and close his mouth to stifle his sneeze.

He felt a ‘pop’ as the sneeze ripped through his throat, causing his soft tissue to swell.

When he swallowed, his throat hurt. His voice even changed!

He went to the emergency department to seek immediate treatment.

As the doctors felt his neck and breastbone, there were crackling sounds caused by the air bubbles trapped beneath his skin.

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This is known as crepitus. Scans showed that air was leaking into his neck from his windpipe through the tear.

The tear was so serious, the man was hospitalised for a week before he made a full recovery.

What the experts say

While this is a very serious effect of stifling a sneeze, it is also extremely rare.

Some of the other effects include ear damage (no wonder my ears always hurts), and even the rupture of a brain aneurysm, which could be deadly.

It is advised to avoid blocking both nostrils and mouth while sneezing, to avoid the many complications.

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Of course lah, please at least try to cover your mouth with a tissue or handkerchief!

Featured Image: airdone / Shutterstock.com

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Jia Hui
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