Wednesday, December 29, 2010

In for a good sneeze?

Sneezing can either be experienced as good or bad. But what is sneezing?


Sneezing is the body’s reflex response to the irritation of the nerve endings in the nose by foreign particles or gases. Just as coughing, a nervous reflex causes a deep breath to be taken.

The glottis, near the top of the windpipe closes off the larynx, so that the pressure in the lungs builds up as breathing out starts. The glottis then opens, allowing a rush of air to pass through the nose, blowing out particles and mucus at a speed which can be more than 160 kmph.

Interesting, the longest fit of sneezing recorded is that of an English teenager named Donna Griffiths. She began sneezing in January 1981 and she only stopped sneezing on 16 September 1983.

Hendrik

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