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Once that tingling and twitching starts in your nose, there's no stopping it. A whole-hearted sneeze makes us feel so much better and there's a reason behind it. Sneezing is one of the body's ways of expelling harmful substances that enter our body. The nose works as an air purifier, cleansing the air that enters of bacteria and other particles. So when viruses and bacteria multiply in our nose during a cold, or a cloud of dust blows in our face, or even when we have an allergic reaction, the nerve endings in our nose get irritated and with a blast of air, the nose sweeps its passageways clean.

A sneeze is formed by the spasm of the chest and of the pharynx that connects the esophagus and the nasal cavity. When the nerve endings in the lining of the nose detect the irritating substances, they send impulses to the part of the brain that controls involuntary actions. The brain then sends signals to the chest muscles to squeeze the lungs. The pharynx also shuts to prevent the air being squeezed out of the lungs into the mouth. And so, with a loud blast, the air is expelled through the nose in the form of a sneeze.

Interestingly, some people sneeze when they walk into bright sunlight. It is said that this is a reaction to the ultraviolet rays of the sunlight irritating the nose lining. Whatever makes you sneeze, just be sure to cover your nose so bacteria don't passed to the person standing next to you.

Additional Resources:

• Webhealth.com provides information on the physiological action of a sneeze and how to prevent sneezing.

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