Where did achoo come from? This instance of onomatopoeia imitates the sound of sneezing. The first syllable mimics the quick intake of breath, while the second corresponds with the tone of the convulsive expulsion of air through the nose and mouth.
The sound of the sneeze isn't innate; it's something we pick up along the way. Popular Science explains: “Sneezes do make some sound that people aren't able to control, but people are able to modify the sound, depending on what seems socially appropriate.”
Swimbourne discovers why deaf people don't say "achoo" when they sneeze. Essentially "achoo" in not universal...it's simply what English speaking sneezers say. Each nation has their own sneezing words. So it's not surprising that deaf people, particularly signers, don't use "achoo" as it's simply a cultural habit.
For example, one sneeze means something good has been said, two means something bad has been said, three is a sign that someone is in love with them, and four is a sign that tragedy will befall their family.
Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helioopthalmic Outburst (ACHOO) Syndrome is characterized by uncontrollable sneezing in response to the sudden exposure to bright light, typically intense sunlight (1).
Australians don't blow their nose in the street
This is also true for spitting. "Many people will also say 'bless you' when you sneeze. This phrase has no religious intent."
Note: It is very rare for anyone to acknowledge a sneeze in Japan, and it is customary not to say anything at all. After multiple sneezes, they use these words. "Are you all right?" "Sorry." or "Excuse me."
If you do notice you sneeze more frequently, you may have an allergy that you are unaware of or inflammation of the nasal cavity called chronic rhinitis. It doesn't hurt to talk to your doctor about your sneezing habits if you think they are abnormal.
The most likely culprit behind your sneezing fits is allergies. With seasonal allergies, airborne triggers, like pollen, are found in higher levels in the air and can start a sneezing fit. Besides seasonal allergies, allergens from pets and dust can also cause frequent sneezing and may be why you can't stop sneezing.
Conversation. The longest sneezing fit began #OTD in 1981. Donna Griffiths (UK) sneezed an estimated one million times in the first 365 days and sneezed at least once a day until the 977th day.
Sneeze Hazards
“If you block the release of this pressure by trying to hold in the sneeze it can cause a rupture of your eardrums, irritation of the throat and, even in severe cases, rupture blood vessels in your eyes or brain.”
Bigger muscles (particularly in the diaphragm) mean you'll have a stronger muscle contraction, which will release the air when you sneeze with more force. A larger lung capacity means you'll release more air when you sneeze. More force + more air = louder sneeze.
Most people's don't… but a significant minority do report a sweet or floral smell when they sneeze. This could be the smell of ketones from your bloodstream, which might be a sign of diabetes. But it is much more likely to be the cocktail of chemicals produced by the bacteria living in your sinuses or ears.
During a sinus infection, mucus becomes stagnant in the nose, filling with foul-smelling bacteria and giving your sneezes a foul odor and when you sneeze this mucus is expelled from the nose.
Sneezing helps keep your body safe.
"Sneezing is an important part of the immune process, helping to keep us healthy and sniffle-free" Kao says. Sneezes protect your body by clearing the nose of bacteria and viruses, Kao explains.
An estimated 10 to 35 percent of the population has a photic sneeze reflex. “It's not a disease,” University of California, San Francisco neurologist and human geneticist Louis Ptáček told the NewsHour. “Some people find it annoying, but some people like it to some extent.
Elisha got up, paced for awhile as he prayed, and bent down near the child. Suddenly he heard him sneeze seven times. The boy opened his eyes and in moments was reunited with his grateful mother. A great miracle of God had just taken place.
As the optic nerve fires to signal the brain to constrict the pupils, the theory goes, some of the electrical signal is sensed by the trigeminal nerve and mistaken by the brain as an irritant in the nose. Hence, a sneeze.
A sneeze is a sudden burst of air expelled from the lungs through the nose and mouth. It's the result of the inflammation of the trigeminal nerve in the nose. This nerve is linked to the “sneeze center” of the brainstem and sends signals that prompt a person to sneeze.
If you wake up congested, you might assume you have a cold. However, if you find yourself regularly waking up with congestion, itchy eyes and a runny nose you might be suffering from morning allergies. Morning allergies have the same symptoms as seasonal allergies, just with stronger symptoms in the morning.
It's a powerful release of air, expelling what's in the nose that's causing the irritation.” However, if the irritant is still lingering in your nostrils after a sneeze, your nose is going to give it another go. So typically, a second sneeze means that your first sneeze didn't really do its job.
Islamic perspective
For this reason, sneezing is considered as blessing from Allah and in a narration3,4 from Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings of Allah be upon him who said: “When one of you sneezes, let him say, 'Al-hamdu-Lillaah' (Praise be to Allah),' and let his brother or companion reply to him.
"If anyone of you sneezes, he should say 'Al-Hamduli l-lah' (Praise be to Allah), and his (Muslim) brother or companion should say to him, 'Yar-hamuka-l-lah' (May Allah bestow his Mercy on you).