15 Everyday Habits That Are Secretly Ruining Your Health

Holding your nose when you sneeze

It might seem like bad manners to let a huge sneeze go, but consider this case reported in the medical journal The BMJ: A man tore his pharynx (part of his throat) by pinching his nose closed during a sneeze. “If a sneeze is held in, the pressure is still generated but not released,” says Sanchayeeta Mitra, MD, PIH health otolaryngologist, ENT. “When that happens, the pressure can back up, either into the sinuses or the back of the nose, through the mouth and throat or the chest.” As the pressure travels through the nasal passages to the ears, it can lead to eardrum or inner ear damage. “Having the pressure back up can also cause other injuries with ruptured blood vessels in any area such as the chest, throat, eyes, or brain,” she says. “None of these injuries are that common, but generally, it is better to grab a Kleenex or turn your face into your shoulder and just let the sneeze out.”

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