• Question: Why do we sneeze?

    Asked by Bradley to Christie, Dan, David, Dawn, Sian on 20 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Christie Waddington

      Christie Waddington answered on 20 Jun 2016:

      We sneeze because there is something irritating the inside of the nose. This triggers the release of a chemical called histamine which irritate the nerve cells in the nose. These nerve cells send a signal to the brain telling it to start a sneeze. The brain translates this signal and triggers the right muscles so that air is forced out from the lungs and through the nose to try and get rid of the irritation. Your tongue goes backwards inside your mouth too to try and make the air go through your nose rather than out of your mouth.

    • Photo: Sian Thomas

      Sian Thomas answered on 21 Jun 2016:

      I wonder whether the route is the same if you have a cold?

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