Man stifles a sneeze... and blows a hole in his throat

HOLDING your nose and closing your mouth to sneeze might feel like good manners, but doctors have advised against it after a man ruptured the back of his throat.

The 34- year- old, described as previously fit and well, was forced to spend a week in hospital after suffering “spontaneous perforation of the pharynx”.

Ear, nose and throat ( ENT) specialists said the “unusual condition” is most often caused by trauma or by vomiting, retching or heavy coughing.

The man told emergency care medics he had felt a “popping” in his neck which swelled instantly after he tried to contain a forceful sneeze by pinching his nose and clamping his mouth shut at the same time.

He had rushed to A& E after it became agony to swallow and he found he could barely speak.

Scans revealed that air bubbles had found their way into the deep tissues and muscles of his chest.

Because of the risk of serious complications the man, who has not been identified, was admitted to hospital.

He was fed by a tube and given intravenous antibiotics until the swelling and pain had subsided.

After seven days the patient was well enough to be discharged – with the advice not to block both nostrils when sneezing in future.

ENT doctors from the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust wrote in the journal BMJ Case Reports: “Halting sneezing via blocking ( the) nostrils and mouth is a dangerous manoeuvre and should be avoided.

“It may lead to numerous complications, such as pneumomediastinum ( air trapped in the chest between both lungs), perforation of the tympanic membrane ( perforated eardrum), and even rupture of a cerebral aneurysm ( ballooning blood vessel in the brain).”