Man Tears Hole In Throat Trying To Hold In A Sneeze
Holding in a sneeze can be dangerous! (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
I’ve always been warned not to hold in a sneeze…and now I understand why. According to LAD Bible, a man in Scotland tried to hold in a sneeze by pinching his nose and closing his mouth while behind the wheel. He then tore a 0.08 inch hole in his throat.
I feel like we’ve all been there. Maybe you’re in public or perhaps just occupied and don’t want to let out a massive sneeze so you decide to hold it in. Well, now you should think twice about that. Maybe the doctors were right?
Man Tears Hole In Throat Trying To Hold In A Sneeze
According to LAD Bible, the man was then rushed to the hospital. Reports say he also suffered from hay fever. Dr. Nisirovs, of the University of Dundee, warns not to hold in sneezes. He says the build up can be up to 20 times higher than normal. LAD Bible points out the doctor said, “Everyone should be advised not to stifle sneezes by pinching the nose while keeping the mouth closed as it can result in tracheal perforation.”
Dr. Nisirovs says patients who have this happen must be closely monitored for a day or two for any deterioration, per LAD Bible. Regarding the man’s status, Dr. Nisirovs said, “On examination, his neck was swollen bilaterally, with mild crepitus on palpation and a reduced range of movement of the neck,” per LAD Bible.
Reports say he was discharged from the hospital after two days of being monitored along with painkillers and drugs for hay fever. According to LAD Bible, the tear took five weeks to heal.
Don’t Try This At Home
Personally, I’ve held in many sneezes over the years. I feel like I’ve had some close calls, too. Well, I might have finally learned my lesson. I’d rather let a sneeze fly in public than rip a hold in my throat.
5 Surprising Symptoms People Ignore Most When They're Sick
People ignore symptoms when they’re sick for several reasons. Some are simply in denial or scared of what a diagnosis could mean for their lives. They’d rather pretend nothing is wrong than face the truth. And then there are those who just don’t realize how serious their symptoms are. They brush them off as minor annoyances that will go away on their own.
Our busy lives also come into play. We’re so caught up in work and other responsibilities that we put our health on the back burner. It’s like we convince ourselves that we don’t have time to deal with it, hoping the symptoms will magically disappear. Plus, the cost of healthcare can be a huge deterrent. People worry about the financial burden of doctor visits, tests, and treatments, so they choose to tough it out instead.
Talker, a research company, along with OnePoll on behalf of Mucinex, conducted a poll of 2,000 people that revealed the top symptoms people ignore when they are sick. According to their study, around 48 percent of those surveyed brush off symptoms like cold sweats or chills. About 46 percent of people ignore a fever, while the study also revealed that 21 percent of people don’t even acknowledge the presence of green mucus.
Also found in this study is that even though people experience these obvious signs like body aches (46 percent) or a serious cough (19 percent), it takes them two whole days before they finally admit that something might be wrong with them. Interestingly, almost three in five people use the excuse of “it’s just allergies” to explain away their symptoms.
It turns out, one-third would write off a sore or scratchy throat as just allergies, while only 16 percent would acknowledge that they might be sick. Another 14 percent would even go as far as blaming the weather for their discomfort.
“We want to remind people that taking care of their health should always be a top priority, and that includes taking the time to rest and recover when necessary,” Albert So, marketing director of Mucinex, said. “It’s important to understand your body and your symptoms so you can choose the right medication to address your needs.”
Take a look at the complete study here.
These are 5 surprising symptoms people ignore when they’re sick.
Cort Freeman was born and raised in Metro Detroit. He was named Clarkston High School 2009 Class Clown 13 years after graduating. Totally normal thing to happen. That’s thanks to his time spent as an Intern at Comedy Central and Social Media Correspondent for The Colbert Report. Cort has done comedy across the country, both standing up and sitting down. When he’s not trying to make you laugh on-air and online, he’s probably at home enjoying his favorite shows like Seinfeld, South Park, and The Office. He’s also totally uncomfortable writing about himself in the third person. Cort enjoys writing about comedy, food, sports, and entertainment. So, basically anything and everything.