We’ve all had it happen.  Whether you have allergies or not, you have had one of those sneezing attacks.

They can be brought on by exposure to dust mites, pollens, molds, bits of animal fur or skin, black pepper, bacteria, viruses, or a whole host of other irritants.

Some people sneeze a lot and nowadays with Covid-19 that can cause everyone around you to take a long hard look at you. Follow the CDC guidelines for sneezing and coughing.

Make sure you are sneezing into Kleenex or into your elbow. Don't forget to wash your hands too. 

What happens when you sneeze is a complex orchestration of many body parts pulling together to get whatever is irritating you OUT and NOW!  When the nerve endings in your nasal passage detect something that isn’t supposed to be there, the nerves send the message to the sneeze center in the brain stem that there is an invader and it needs to go. 

The sneeze center in the brain uses the nerves to send signals to the lungs and diaphragm to get to work.  Also, your eyes and nasal passages get the word to start secreting fluid to help wash the offender out.  

While this is happening, the diaphragm gets the word to get to work.  It moves quickly, which causes you to inhale deeply.  Then KACHOO, the air is expressed very forcefully through the nasal passages and mouth. 

So, if you find that you sneeze a lot when you wake up in the morning, it is probably because you have been asleep all night with dust mites and their allergens. 

These microscopic creatures live and breed in our mattresses and pillows.  Their body parts and feces are a component of common house dust.  In addition, they contain a protein that causes allergic reactions in many.  

If you think you have lots of dust in your bedroom, use allergy bedding covers and do not wash your sheets and other bed linens with fabric softener. 

Do wash bedding with De-Mite Laundry Additive or Allersearch Allergen Wash.  Fabric softener just causes dust.  If you have used softener in the past, you can add 1/4 cup white vinegar in the rinse cycle to get the residue out of your sheets. 

Dust mites are not the only reason you may sneeze. The majority of the dust in your house comes from outside, as dirt tracked in on your feet, and airborne particles like pollen, grass and mold spores. Leaky windows and doors also allow a lot of particles to get in.

If you sneeze a lot when you are outside you are probably allergic to pollen or mold.  During the spring, the biggest cause of spring allergy symptoms is pollen. In the fall, Ragweed is the biggest allergy trigger. 

Trees and grasses are some of the worst offenders throughout the year, as they rely on the wind to spread their very light pollen.  Not only do these particles get inhaled and act as irritants, but they also contain proteins to which many people are allergic. 

Some people sneeze a lot when exposed to bright lights.  But that is another story. 

Til Next Time

Cheryl