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Frequent sneezing

Medical expert of the article

Surgeon, otorhinolaryngologist
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025

Frequent sneezing can be the cause of both a common allergy and a serious illness. In general, this process is a normal reflexive protective reaction. It manifests itself in an involuntary, sharp form. Usually, this occurs as a response to severe irritation of the mucous membrane, which occurs against the background of exposure to an allergen.

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Causes of Frequent Sneezing

The reasons for frequent sneezing can be hidden in many everyday things. So, this phenomenon can be provoked by a common allergic reaction. This is an individual feature of a person, implying increased susceptibility to certain elements.

Sneezing can be provoked by dust, dry air, pollen, fluff. Even animal hair is a common cause of this reflex phenomenon. It can occur against the background of sharp and rich odors, as well as irritation of the nasal "cilia" as a result of bright lighting.

Artificial irritation caused by mechanical intervention can affect the process. This could be a napkin, pollen, etc. A sharp change in temperature also affects this process. Sneezing often occurs with hormonal changes in pregnant women.

Sneezing occurs due to dust, wool and fluff, in other words, due to the impact of dust agents. Substances that often cause sneezing include tobacco smoke and various perfumes. The process can occur due to rapid temperature changes. A person simply comes from the street into a warm room. Many women complain of frequent sneezing before childbirth, this happens because there is a slight swelling of the nasal mucosa. Naturally, the process can be provoked by the presence of a disease. Usually this is flu, colds and rhinitis.

Frequent sneezing and a runny nose are two interrelated processes. You could even say that they are integral companions of any cold. Depending on the nature of the symptoms, sneezing can occur both in the early stages of a runny nose and throughout the entire period of the disease.

In order to eliminate the malaise, it is worth finding out why it arose. If the symptoms are diluted with a cough and temperature, then it is definitely a cold. In general, sneezing and nasal congestion do not just appear. As mentioned above, this is a natural reaction of the body, which tries to eliminate all foreign objects from the body.

If sneezing bothers you in the summer, then most likely the problem is an allergy to something blooming. This phenomenon is quite normal for this time of year. After all, trees, plants, flowers begin to bloom. They all emit a special pollen. It is this that has an irritating effect on the nasal mucosa. This condition is characterized by lacrimation.

With a cold, a runny nose and sneezing also manifest themselves. But, the disease often begins with significant inflammation of the nasal mucosa. Then a cough appears, due to the penetration of microbes into the larynx.

In the absence of allergies and colds, sneezing in the morning may still occur. This is due to non-allergic rhinitis. Most likely, breathing and the process of self-cleaning of the nose are impaired. This occurs due to the curvature of the septum or the presence of polyps.

Frequent sneezing and nasal congestion can be symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections, colds, flu, measles, chickenpox, rhinitis in pregnant women and allergies. In general, there are really many reasons for the appearance of these symptoms.

The most common of all the above options is the flu virus. All types of ARVI are contagious, they are easily transmitted by air. In addition to sneezing and nasal congestion, a person complains of fever, sore throat and cough.

It is important to understand that flu is an acute respiratory infection. Over time, it can become significantly complicated by additional symptoms. If you start treatment in a timely manner and take an antiviral drug, the duration of the disease will be much shorter. In this case, the person's condition is serious. In addition to unpleasant symptoms, he suffers from fever and general malaise.

These symptoms can be provoked by a common allergic rhinitis. In this case, apart from a runny nose, nasal congestion and sneezing, nothing bothers you. You just need to determine which allergen caused this condition and get rid of it, or take appropriate measures.

Frequent sneezing during a cold is a completely normal phenomenon that occurs against the background of irritation of the nasal mucosa. Colds are to blame for this, which are characterized by inflammatory processes affecting the upper respiratory tract. Everything can arise against the background of hypothermia or direct contact with a sick person. If the immune system is weak, then it is quite easy to catch a cold. Even being on public transport can lead to problems.

The main signs of a cold are a sharp increase in temperature, headache, cough and general malaise. Nasal congestion and frequent sneezing are not excluded. These symptoms should be eliminated by all possible means.

Once the disease is eliminated, the sneezing will disappear on its own. This is not an allergic reaction, so there is no need to eliminate it additionally. As soon as the runny nose disappears, the sneezing will evaporate on its own. Simply put, there is nothing terrible about this phenomenon. It is enough to simply choose a quality treatment.

Frequent sneezing in the morning is most likely caused by vasomotor rhinitis. This phenomenon occurs due to the presence of polyps in the nose. Its development can be facilitated by a nasal injury that led to the appearance of a deviated septum. By the way, such an anomaly is possible from birth.

Sneezing at light occurs due to significant irritation of the nasal mucosa due to bright light hitting the cornea. This action affects the trigeminal nerve. It, in turn, is located too close to the optic nerve and reacts negatively to bright light. The signal goes to the brain and the person sneezes.

Some people sneeze for no reason, just like that. This is determined by the increased sensitivity of the mucous membrane. If a person complains of constant sneezing, but there is no specific reason for this phenomenon, or rather it is not determined, there is a possibility of developing an allergy. In any case, the cause must be diagnosed.

Frequent sneezing without a reason is associated with non-allergic rhinitis. This condition is characterized by the appearance of irritation of the nasal mucosa in isolated cases. That is, it is not associated with an illness or a strong allergy. It is quite possible that the nasopharynx is simply dry. Some people suffer from this phenomenon from birth. This occurs due to the curvature of the nasal septum. This defect can appear immediately at birth, or over time. Its development is facilitated by a nasal injury.

Sneezing without a reason can occur in the morning, due to too bright light. This is a completely normal phenomenon. The cause can be flowering, dust or animal hair. And it is not necessary to have an allergy to these factors. Animal hair can get into the nasal passages and cause irritation due to tickling. Naturally, this is not a serious problem. A similar situation can occur when pollen or house dust gets into the nose. In any case, such a problem may not be eliminated. But to calm the soul, still go to see a specialist.

Frequent sneezing during pregnancy

Frequent sneezing during pregnancy occurs due to changes in hormonal levels. The amount of female hormones in the blood increases significantly, and at the same time, the blood flow accelerates significantly. Therefore, the mucous membrane of the nose begins to swell, which leads to difficulty breathing.

The course of rhinitis can have a varied nature. Starting from mild symptoms and ending with cases that require medication. Naturally, due to nasal congestion, the lungs and heart suffer. The nose does not perform its main functions, does not contribute to the purification and warming of air. Therefore, the lungs are exposed to the harmful effects of the external environment.

This condition can be doubly dangerous for a woman. After all, both she and the developing fetus suffer. If the mother is unable to breathe through her nose, oxygen starvation occurs. This negatively affects the development of the baby. Rhinitis leads to changes in taste, smell and the development of allergies. The complexity of this problem is due to the fact that vasoconstrictor drops cannot be used. Therefore, a woman has to use folk methods and come to terms with her condition during pregnancy.

Frequent sneezing in a child

Frequent sneezing in a child is usually accompanied by significant nasal discharge. In this case, there is no point in even guessing, it is a cold. Special drops will help restore nasal breathing. But it is better to prepare them yourself. After all, there is a risk of complications from taking pharmacy drugs, due to the age of the child.

If the baby sneezes, but there is no runny nose, the reason may be hidden in the presence of dry crusts. They can prevent the child from breathing. It is quite possible that this phenomenon is associated with too dry air in the room.

In fact, there may be many reasons. If the child is of a conscious age, it is worth asking him to describe what he feels. It is quite possible that sneezing is associated with a cold. But, it may be a signal of a serious allergic reaction. It is worth humidifying the air, trying to remove possible allergens. After all, such a reaction can be provoked by animal hair or flowering plants. The problem must be identified and eliminated.

Frequent sneezing in a newborn

Frequent sneezing in a newborn can be caused by a number of reasons. First of all, you should make sure that the baby does not have pathologies of the nasal septum. This reason often leads to nasal congestion and constant sneezing. If there are no pathologies, it is worth dealing with the problem. Sneezing accompanied by a runny nose and fever indicates the presence of a cold. Treatment should be started under the guidance of a pediatrician. If the cause is not a disease, you need to look around.

Are there any animals in the apartment? The allergy may be caused by them. Usually, this phenomenon begins to manifest itself immediately from birth. The situation cannot be corrected; you will have to get rid of the animal. Perhaps the problem arose due to the air in the apartment being too dry. It is enough to do wet cleaning and get a humidifier. Then observe the baby's condition.

There can really be many reasons. If you can't identify the allergen on your own, you need to go to see a therapist. Don't confuse food allergies with the direct allergen. An irritant in food will not cause sneezing.

Diagnosis of frequent sneezing

Frequent sneezing is diagnosed based on the patient's complaints. The person must describe how he feels, what provokes sneezing, whether the process is accompanied by other symptoms. Much also depends on how long ago the complaint appeared, whether the person has allergies. The problem can be affected by living and working conditions, as well as contact with irritants.

After this, a rhinoscopy is performed. During this examination, attention is paid to the color of the mucous membrane. Acute infectious rhinitis is characterized by a red tint, while allergic rhinitis is characterized by a pale or bluish tint. If there is a suspicion of an allergic type of disease, it is worth going to an allergist.

This study involves taking skin samples. To do this, place the immediate allergen on the skin and prick it with a thin needle. If the skin begins to change, then the child definitely has an allergy.

There are cases of false positive or false negative results of skin tests. Therefore, it is necessary to take a blood test for allergen-specific antibodies and immunoglobulin E. An intranasal provocation test is also carried out. It is characterized by the use of a solution with the allergen being tested, which is instilled into the nasal passages. If an allergic reaction occurs, the test is considered positive.

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Treatment for Frequent Sneezing

Treatment of frequent sneezing should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. Everything requires an individual approach and depends on the stage of the disease. Treatment at the initial stages should be carried out using rinsing. In some cases, drainage is used, it allows you to relieve swelling and remove pathogens.

There are various means for washing. Pharmacy solutions based on sea salt are suitable. It is worth paying attention to Saline, Aqualor, Physiomer and Aqua Maris. They significantly relieve swelling and help reduce inflammation. It is enough to carry out 2 injections, 3-4 times a day. Each of these medications has the same mode of action. But, they should be used according to the individual dosage of a specialist.

You can use plant juices, berries, vegetables, solutions enriched with potassium permanganate, iodine and furacilin. Ordinary sea salt has an excellent effect. It contains essential microelements. Their active effect removes swelling from the nasal mucosa and removes excess mucus.

Antiallergic drugs can also be used. For example, antihistamines such as Teridin, Zyrtec, Claritin, Telfast are suitable. They are taken orally. One tablet 2-3 times a day is enough. Before taking, it is worth reading the instructions for each drug. Naturally, the doctor will give detailed instructions regarding treatment.

Treatment of frequent sneezing with folk remedies

Treating frequent sneezing with folk remedies has a positive effect. But you shouldn't resort to it without determining the exact cause of the symptom. You can simply start rinsing your nose with a mixture of juice from one onion and two spoons of high-quality sunflower oil. There is another variation of this recipe, you need to take a few drops of red beet, Kalanchoe, aloe, garlic or carrot juice diluted with water. This composition simply rinses the nasal passages.

  • Aloe juice does have a positive effect. It is enough to simply put 2-3 drops of freshly squeezed juice in each nostril 2-3 times a day. Coltsfoot juice works in a similar way. You need to put a few drops in each nostril. This action is performed 3-4 times a day.
  • Menthol and camphor oil. These two ingredients should be mixed together and that's it. Together, they can significantly constrict blood vessels and quickly get rid of a runny nose. It is advisable to use them 1-2 times a day.
  • Tincture of wild rosemary. Take one tablespoon of this ingredient and infuse it in olive oil for 24 hours. Then apply it as regular drops, 1-2 pieces in each nostril, 3-4 times a day.
  • Soda-tannin drops. Take fresh tea leaves and mix them thoroughly with soda. The resulting product is instilled 6-8 drops into each nostril. The prepared "drug" is effective at the initial stage of rhinitis.

Prevention of frequent sneezing

Prevention of frequent sneezing is quite simple in its implementation. First of all, you need to avoid contact with patients who are carriers of ARVI. To do this, you need to use personal protective equipment. These can be gauze bandages, masks and respirators.

It is necessary to avoid hypothermia, so as not to catch a cold. If there are provoking factors, you should simply eliminate contact with them. As a preventive measure, you can rinse or irrigate your nose with saline solutions.

It is important to use personal protective equipment when working in dusty areas, as well as when in places with hazardous production.

Naturally, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle. Completely give up bad habits, regularly engage in moderate physical activity. Include walks in the fresh air in your daily plan, observe the day and night regime. Of course, you need to eat right. In this case, sneezing is not scary at all!

Prediction of frequent sneezing

The prognosis for frequent sneezing depends on the reason why it happened. If you do not start eliminating the allergy in time, it leads to severe swelling and complications. Anaphylactic shock is possible. It is important to understand that this phenomenon is severe. The prognosis in this case may be unfavorable. If you see a doctor in time and follow all his recommendations, the disease will recede quickly, and the prognosis will be extremely favorable.

If sneezing is caused by a cold, then naturally, everything will go well. It is necessary to eliminate the disease and the symptom will go away on its own. If it arose against the background of an allergen, then it is worth eliminating it too. Only in this way can a positive prognosis be achieved.

If the problem arose against the background of pathological changes in the nasal septum, then in this case, little can be done. Sometimes, an operation is performed, but it requires special costs. And in its complexity is at a high level. This does not mean that the prognosis is unfavorable. You just have to maintain your own condition constantly and everything will be fine.

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