‘Dangerous manoeuvre’: Man ruptures throat by trying to hold in a sneeze

Doctors are warning cold and allergy sufferers to sneeze freely after a man who attempted to hold back a forceful sneeze ruptured his throat in the process.

The 34-year-old man pinched his nose while clamping his mouth shut in a bid to keep the sneeze at bay, leaving him in considerable pain and barely able to speak or swallow for some time.

Details of the rare spontaneous rupture are published in The BMJ, with a warning to the public to stay clear of the “dangerous manoeuvre.”

According to the case study the patient first developed a popping sensation in his neck which immediately swelled up after he tried to contain the sneeze. Later he found it extremely painful to swallow and all but lost his voice.

When the doctors examined him, they heard popping and crackling sounds which extended from his neck all the way down to his ribcage.

The man had to be hospitalized and tube-fed for a week. After the swelling and pain subsided he was discharged with the stark warning; “Don't hold your nose and close your mouth when you sneeze.”

"Halting sneezing via blocking nostrils and mouth is a dangerous manoeuvre, and should be avoided," the medical team cautioned.

Other potential complications that could arise include trapped air in the chest between both lungs, a perforated eardrum, and even a rupture of a brain aneurysm.

While these consequences are rare, medical experts recommend when it comes to sneezing, it’s best just to let it out.

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