Holding Sneeze Can Tear Your Windpipe, New Case Shows

If you usually try to hold back a sneeze, this new medical case study might make you reconsider. In a rare incident, a man accidentally caused a tear in his windpipe while trying to hold back a sneeze. This unusual event took place while the man was driving and dealing with a bout of hay fever.

Suddenly hit by a strong urge to sneeze, he opted to hold it in by pinching his nose and shutting his mouth. However, when both the mouth and nose are sealed during a sneeze, the pressure in the upper airways can increase to over twenty times the normal level.

In this case, the pressure was so intense it resulted in a tiny 0.08 inch by 0.08 inch (2 by 2 millimeter) hole in his windpipe—the first known incident of its kind, as reported by Live Science.

Upon reaching the emergency department, the man was in intense pain, with swelling on both sides of his neck, and he faced difficulty moving it. Upon examination, doctors noted a subtle crackling sound. However, the man did not encounter any problems with breathing, swallowing, or speaking.

Man diagnosed with ‘surgical emphysema’

A neck X-ray exposed the presence of surgical emphysema, a situation whereby air becomes trapped beneath the deepest layers of skin tissue. Subsequent to this, a computed tomography (CT) scan pinpointed the tear situated between the third and fourth bones, known as vertebrae, in his neck.

The air had gathered in his chest space between his lungs. The tear in the windpipe was caused by a “rapid build-up of pressure in the trachea while sneezing with a pinched nose and closed mouth,” doctors concluded.

Surgery wasn’t deemed necessary. Yet, the man remained under hospital observation for two days to guarantee stable oxygen levels and other vital signs. Following this, he was released with pain relief and hay fever medications. The medical advice included refraining from strenuous physical activities for the next two weeks, as reported by Live Science.

The tear in the man’s windpipe healed after five weeks

After five weeks, a CT scan confirmed the complete healing of the tear. Ultimately, the man experienced relatively minor injuries. However, doctors handling his case, as detailed in a report published on December 1st in the journal BMJ Case Reports, emphasized that this incident should serve as a warning to others.

“Everyone should be advised not to stifle sneezes by pinching the nose while keeping the mouth closed as it can result in tracheal [windpipe] perforation,” according to the report.

The authors of the case report emphasized that the necessity for surgery depends on factors such as the tear’s location and the stability of the patient’s vital signs. Repairing the damage often requires surgical intervention.