If something irritates or tickles the inside of your nose, you may sneeze. Also known as sternutation, sneezing is the body’s natural response to irritants in the nose to clean the airway. When cilia, the structures on the internal layer of your nose, detects the presence of foreign particles or irritants, it informs the brain about these particles.
The brain prepares to clear out the nose by arranging a series of actions:
- You take a slow, deep breath to store the air in your lungs.
- Your tongue touches the palate of your mouth to stop the air from the mouth.
- You close your eyes and push out the air stored in the lungs at about 160 km/h clearing out the nose.
This response is normal and helps your body in avoiding infections and nose blocks. However, excessive sneezing can cause inflammation in the nasal passage and greatly impact a person’s ability to perform daily tasks. If a person is allergic to a particular thing, for example, pollen, they are likely to sneeze frequently during spring. Some other factors may also cause excessive sneezing.
Although there are some medications that can help in controlling excess sneezing, natural remedies for sneezing are preferred by many people.
Home Remedies to Stop Sneezing
Listed below are some of the most popular sneezing treatments you can try at home:
-
Ginger tea
Drinking ginger tea prepared by boiling freshly grated/pound ginger in water is an effective sneezing treatment that can be tried at home. Including ginger in your diet in other forms can also be beneficial due to the presence of 6-gingerol in it. Additionally, adding black pepper to this tea may further improve its effect. Black pepper has immunomodulatory properties and may help in alleviating excessive sneezing. Drinking tea with ginger and black pepper may help in stopping sneezing.
-
Turmeric
Turmeric is beneficial as sneezing treatment at home due to the presence of curcumin, a compound found in it. Preparing a home remedy to stop sneezing with turmeric can be quite effective, as curcumin acts as an immunomodulator and reduces nasal airflow resistance. Consuming turmeric-infused water or warm milk with turmeric everyday are some of the effective home remedies for running nose and sneezing.
-
Kadha
One of the most effective home remedies for cold and sneezing a kadha prepared with dry ginger, black pepper, cloves. To make this kadha, start by boiling about 3 g of dry ginger, 3 g of black pepper, and 4 cloves in 100 mL of water for 5–10 minutes (a little more than 1 teaspoon makes up 3 g approximately). This is an age-old remedy for cold and may help stop your sneezing and heal you quickly. Drinking this kadha twice a day can help relieve the symptoms of cold, including sneezing.
There are other home remedies for running nose and sneezing that have anecdotal evidence; some of them are mentioned below:- Applying ‘Badam Rogan’ oil inside the nose may provide instant relief from sneezing.
- Drink a beverage prepared by roasting 1 teaspoon besan in 1 teaspoon ghee and boiling with a cup of milk and 4 to 5 almonds for about 2 to 3 minutes. This is an effective natural remedy for sneezing if taken at night.
- Blowing your nose gently may help in clearing the irritants from your nasal passage and eliminate the response of cilia to these irritants providing instant relief from sneezing. However, excessive blowing of the nose can irritate the nasal passage and contribute to sneezing. It is also possible that blowing your nose may not always work as a home remedy for cold and sneezing.
You can also do the following things to avoid sneezing:
- Learn triggers and avoid exposure to known irritants.
Sneezing can be triggered by many things, including the following:- Pollen
- Dirt
- Mould
- Bright lights
- Perfumes
- Spicy foods
- Black pepper
- Common cold-causing viruses
- Learning what makes you sneeze can be helpful in avoiding the process altogether. Some people may be allergic to certain things and may not even be aware of it. Thus, keeping a record of when you start to sneeze in excess can be helpful in avoiding such triggers. It is said that prevention is better than cure, and avoiding known irritants can prevent sneezing.
-
Treat allergies
People who have allergies find it difficult to breathe normally during specific time periods due to the presence of allergens in the air; for example, a person who is allergic to pollen is likely to sneeze and/or get an allergic reaction in the springtime.
Seasonal allergies are quite common, and it is better to treat them by consulting a doctor. Many people also the Ayurvedic approach to get cure for their allergies if they want to avoid allopathic treatment. -
Use air filters
The air is usually filled with many tiny particles, including dirt, which may irritate your nose and cause sneezing. One of the most effective ways of preventing sneezing is to use air filters at your home and workspace. The clean air may help to control sneezing.
-
Keep the beddings and sheets clean
People often forget to pay as much attention to their bed sheets and liners as they do to their clothes. Sleeping in dirty sheets can expose you to indoor allergens and induce sneezing. Washing them regularly is one way to avoid that.
-
Maintain proper hygiene around pets
People who have pets in their homes must make extra efforts to maintaining their pet’s proper hygiene to avoid irritants floating in the home. Some people may also get an allergic reaction from their pet’s hair or flakes of skin. Thus, it is better to groom them regularly and wash hands frequently after petting them if you are prone to sneeze after petting. Additionally, changing clothes after visiting a friend who has pets can also help.
-
Avoid looking into the light
Many people experience photic sneezing, which is the episodes of sneezing a person may experience when they look at bright lights. Thus, if you sneeze after looking at bright lights, it is better to avoid going out on a sunny day without wearing sunglasses.
-
Avoid sudden exposure to extreme temperatures
Staying warm and comfortable while you are sick or have an allergic reaction can be helpful, as people may start sneezing after a sudden change in the temperature.
The bottom line
You may have heard about several home remedies for running nose and sneezing but most of them don’t have scientific evidence. Some people believe that holding your breath for a while can stifle a sneeze, but it is not a universal fact and likely doesn’t work every time. People who have allergies can consider getting an air purifier or allergy shots to prevent a reaction.
Some people are more likely to start sneezing due to airborne irritants than others. If you work around pesticides/herbicides/other chemical, cement, coat, wood, poultry, or metals, it is worth wearing a protective face mask to avoid organic and inorganic dust from entering your nasal passage.
Additionally, if the sneezing treatments at home mentioned here don’t work, it is best to consult a doctor as there might be an underlying cause that needs medical attention.
