Why sneeze three times

No word on what caused her to sneeze or why she finally stopped. Some people are loud sneezers, and others sneeze more softly, but everyone makes some noise when sneezing. Here's why: When you sneeze , air is moving more than miles an hour through your nose.

The force of that much air coming through your tiny nostrils and mouth makes some noise, and the size of your nostrils could affect how loud the sound is. What we call that noise depends on where in the world we live: The English say "achoo," the French say "atchoum," Italians say "hapsu," the Japanese say "hakushon," and Swedes say "atjo. The spray from a sneeze has been documented to travel as far as three feet, but Dr. Slankard says she is sure it travels farther than that, estimating the potential distance at five feet or more.

Her reasoning is that a sneeze moves with such force and the mucus particles are so tiny that it's likely they could travel across a room. That's why it's so important to cover your nose when you sneeze. Use your elbow rather than your hand — not only because the germs could pass through your fingers but also to prevent spreading germs as you later touch doorknobs, faucets, and other objects. Why does pepper, the king of spices , make us sneeze? It contains the chemical piperine, which can be an irritant if it gets in the nose while you're grinding fresh peppercorns or refilling the pepper shaker.

When you sneeze, the mucus you spew should be clear, but it can be a rainbow of colors — green, yellow, or brown. In most cases, if the mucus is one of these colors, it's a sign of an infection , and you should see your doctor for treatment.

The color comes from white cells in the mucus producing antibodies to fight the cold or infection. One last sneeze fact: Your nose produces 1 to 2 pints of mucus every day. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics. Health Tools. By Beth W. Reviewed: January 5, Medically Reviewed. Sneezing is one of the main symptoms of a common cold.

New Thinking on Why We Sneeze. Why Do We Sneeze in Succession? Why Sneezing and Snoozing Don't Mix. Sneezes never seem to be lonely. So why is it that our sneezes seem to adhere to the buddy system? Or why do people sneeze at all? Usually, sneezes are initiated when a foreign particle or external stimulant enters your snout, reaching the nasal mucosa. However, if the irritant is still lingering in your nostrils after a sneeze, your nose is going to give it another go. There is a little-known condition called photic sneeze reflex, or autosomal compelling helio-ophthalmic outburst ACHOO syndrome.

It occurs in response to certain stimuli: for example, when you are first exposed to bright light after your eyes have adjusted to the dark.

Some estimates claim it affects between 18 and 35 per cent of people. If this is what causes their many sneezes in a row, it is more likely to annoy you than cause your partner any harm. I have the same problem and my father did as well, so it may have a genetic component.