Try this hack next time you have to sneeze but can't get it out
If you can't stop sneezing every time allergy season rolls around, you're not alone. But have you ever had trouble sneezing? Your nose and eyes are itchy and it seems like you have to sneeze, but you just can’t. Cue you frantically searching 'how to make yourself sneeze' while wondering why your nasal passages won't cooperate.
Sneezing serves a pretty important function in the body, says John V. Bosso, MD, an allergist, immunologist, and professor of head and neck medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. 'Sneezing is a protective response,' he says. 'It allows you to clear the nose of irritants, dirt, allergens, viruses, and bacteria.'
That said, if you feel like you have to sneeze but can't, your body is probably a bit confused. Holding in a sneeze can be uncomfortable, but luckily, at-home remedies may help. Ahead, doctors share 10 hacks for how to make yourself sneeze (safely) and find relief once and for all.
Meet the experts: John V. Bosso, MD, is an allergist, immunologist, and professor of head and neck medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Neil Bhattacharyya, MD, is an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Mass Eye and Ear. Nadine M. Aktan, PhD, is the assistant dean of advanced practice at the Rutgers School of Nursing. Navya Mysore, MD, is a family physician and medical director at One Medical Group and the National Program Medical Director for Sexual and Reproductive Health.
Why can't I sneeze?
Sneezing occurs when there’s a signal to the nose that a stimulus is potentially harmful or irritating, says Neil Bhattacharyya, MD, a comprehensive ear, nose, and throat specialist at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston. Sneezing helps free your system of pesky allergens or irritants—so if you're having trouble sneezing, it's possible that something is actually stuck in your nose, like some kind of gunk, a small object, or even fungal spores, and your body is trying (and failing) to get it out, Dr. Bhattacharyya says.
Severe neurological issues (think: a stroke or brain tumor) or psychiatric conditions can also cause you to not be able to sneeze, Dr. Bosso says. And, of course, it could simply be that you feel like you need to sneeze, but your body (or mind) doesn’t agree.
If your sudden inability to sneeze is a new thing, it’s not causing you any issues, and you can still sneeze sometimes, Dr. Bhattacharyya says there’s no need to take any action. 'But if you need something to trigger sneezing short-term, it's generally safe to use a remedy 'in moderation,' Dr. Bosso says. Usually, this comes down to stimulating the trigeminal nerve (a part of your nervous system that sends pain, touch, and temperature sensations from your face to your brain), he says.
10 ways to make yourself sneeze
1. Look at a bright light
A strange, but true phenomenon: Some people start sneezing when they’re suddenly exposed to bright light (it’s called photic sneezing). The light 'stimulates a neural reflex,' Dr. Bosso says. Caveat, though: This only works in about a third of people and is a genetic thing, he says. Meaning, if your parents sneeze when they look at bright light, the odds are higher that you’ll do the same. If not, it might not work.
2. Smell a strong spice
Spices like pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne can trigger a sneeze. 'It irritates the nasal nerve endings,' Dr. Bosso explains. You can get results quickly and most people will have a reaction—just be careful that you don’t actually inhale the spice because that will probably burn, he says.
3. Tickle the inside of your nose
Another hack? Twist up a tissue and gently insert it into your nose to try to stimulate it from the inside. This tickles the nasal nerve endings and it works in most people pretty quickly, Dr. Bosso says. That said, keep in mind that inserting anything too far into your nose is not recommended, says Nadine M. Aktan, PhD, the assistant dean of advanced practice at the Rutgers School of Nursing.
4. Spray some perfume
Sampling fragrances in the beauty aisle can work a dual purpose and help you trigger a sneeze. Perfume 'acts as an irritant that stimulates the trigeminal nerve [and] sends a message to the brain to trigger the body to sneeze,' says Navya Mysore, MD, a family physician and medical director at One Medical Group.
5. Massage the roof of your mouth with your tongue
If you can't seem to sneeze, move the tongue to the roof of your mouth and massage until you feel a tickle, Dr. Mysore says. This is another way to stimulate the trigeminal nerve without using an artificial irritant like perfume or fragrances, she adds.
6. Massage the bridge of your nose
When massaging the roof of your mouth doesn't quite work, gently rubbing the bridge of your nose may also do the trick, Dr. Mysore says. This is another way to carefully activate the trigeminal nerve (just don't massage too hard and hurt yourself).
7. Eat something spicy
If you love the taste of spicy food, good news—adding some extra pepper, hot sauce, or spices to your meals can help spark your long-awaited sneeze. Treating yourself to your favorite buffalo wings, fresh hot peppers, or whatever spicy snacks float your boat can also trigger your trigeminal nerve, says Dr. Mysore.
8. Pluck a nose hair
File this under absolute last-resort trick to try. Plucking a nose hair isn't generally recommended, but it certainly stimulates your trigeminal nerve and can trigger a sneeze, Dr. Bosso says. Be aware, though, that it will hurt, he says.
9. Pluck a facial hair
Plucking a facial hair, like a stray eyebrow, can also stimulate your trigeminal nerve and prompt a sneeze, Aktan says. It should bring on a sneeze pretty quickly. But, like tweezing a nose hair, you really only want to try this once or twice.
10. Go outdoors
Last but not least, going for a walk outside can also help generate a sneeze, says Dr. Mysore. Although this may sound counterintuitive since you likely want to avoid outdoor allergens (looking at you, pollen), it may be exactly what you need to get that sneeze out and move on with your day.
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