• Question: why do we sneeze?

    Asked by kaynul to Amelia, Jim, Liz, Prateek, Richard on 21 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Amelia Markey

      Amelia Markey answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      Good question,

      There are lots of methods your body using to get rid of germs or foreign particles that invade it. Your nose hair traps lots of these particles. If the skin in your nose and airways becomes irritated then you sneeze. This is a method of getting rid of these foreign particles. The cells of your body that fight infection produce chemicals in response to an invasion. These leak out into your nose and mucus which is why your nose runs.

      Stimulation of your nerves leads to a reflex response to sneeze.

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