Is there anything more embarrassing than getting caught up in a sneezing fit in the middle of something important? When irritating particles try to enter your body through your nose, your tiny nose hairs, known as cilia, trigger a sneeze response. A sneeze flings the invaders out of our nose and protects our body from infection. However, if you’re sneezing very frequently of late, you might be confused and annoyed about it. So to help you track down the cause of all your sneezing, here are six possible reasons.
1. You Might Be Getting A Cold
The first sign that you might be coming down with a cold is a bout of sneezing. Your body’s first response to protect itself from harmful invaders is to sneeze them out. However, if it’s unsuccessful in doing so, you might have to suffer through a bad cold for the next few days. While most people assume that they’re at risk for getting a cold only during the winter, colds are just as likely in the summer. One way to protect yourself from a cold is to start getting more vitamin C as soon as you start sneezing. Vitamin C boosts your immunity and can help your body fight off harmful germs.
2. You Have Seasonal Allergies
Spring is one of the most beautiful times of the year, with the cold winter months finally behind us and flowers blooming again. However, if you have seasonal allergies, then spring can mean just one thing for you: uncontrollable sneezing. Even if you’ve never had pollen allergies all your life, you can still develop it later on as an adult. Many people become affected by adult-onset seasonal allergies. So if your sneezing coincides with a change in the seasons, then allergies could be the reason behind it.
3. You’ve Been Through An Extreme Temperature Change
Our body can’t handle abrupt changes in temperature very well. If the weather outside is sweltering hot and you just stepped into your freezing cold office, this might trigger a bout of sneezing. While this type of sneezing can be annoying, it’s also completely harmless. To get your body used to a change in temperature, try switching temperatures slowly. Turn on your air conditioner to a higher temperature and then slowly decrease it while your body gets used to it.
4. You’re Around A Lot Of Spices
Tiny particles from spices can find their way up your nose and trigger a sneeze. Our body lumps spice particles into the same category as harmful invaders, so it reacts to them the same way. Pepper in particular irritates the lining of the nose and can make you sneeze uncontrollably. If you’re around a lot of spices when you’re cooking, make sure there’s no breeze in the kitchen which can carry spices up your nose. You can even cover your nose with something to prevent spices from making their way there.
5. You Have A Pet Allergy
You might have had cats your whole life and never had so much as a runny nose, but you can still develop an allergy in your adult life. Adult-onset pet allergies can make you sneeze every time you’re around pets or pet fur. While you can be allergic to both dogs and cats, cat allergies are more common because enzymes in cat saliva can trigger a severe allergic response. To determine for sure if you’re allergic to pet hair, visit an allergy doctor. Prick tests are the most common and effective way to confirm your allergy.
6. You’re Around Cigarette Smoke
Cigarette smoke can irritate the lining of your respiratory tract and make you sneeze. Being around cigarette smoke is harmful even if you’re not the one smoking. If you notice your sneezing is aggravated around cigarette smoke, then it’s best to keep your distance when people are smoking around you. Tiny particles in cigarette smoke can irritate your cilia, bringing on a bout of sneezing.
