Is it true that you may rupture a vein in your brain and die if you suppress a sneeze?
545364
If you try to stop a sneeze you could rupture a vein in your brain or neck and die.\nIf, by force you keep your eyes open while you sneeze, they could leave their sockets
784371
Since your body would die, the cold virus would likely die as well.  Some argue that viruses aren't life forms and can't die, but that's a different topic.  Your symptoms would be relieved upon your death, so I guess it would work.
116068
Does your heart stop when you sneeze?\n– Lauren K, El Cajon\n\nNo. The heart's rhythm is controlled by a natural pacemaker – the sinoatrial node, a group of cells located in the right atrium of the heart. These cells create an electrical impulse by pumping charged particles out of the cell and then allowing them to flow back in. Conducting cells transmit the electrical impulse to all parts of the heart to initiate muscle contraction. Sneezing does not stop this electrical activity.\n\nHowever, the nervous system and circulating hormones, such as adrenaline, alter the rate of the electrical activity in the sinoatrial node to increase or decrease heart rate. Just as exercise leads to an increased heart rate, sneezing works many muscles; therefore it is possible for a "sneeze attack" to increase heart rate.\n--------------------\nSherry Seethaler has a doctorate in science education and is a UCSD science writer and educator. Send your scientific questions to her at Quest, San Diego Union-Tribune, P.O. Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112-0191. Or e-mail sseethaler@ucsd.edu. Please include your name, city of residence and phone number.\n======================================\nDear Earl,\nWhen I sneeze, does my heart stop?\n\nBen, Age 12\n\nDear Ben,\nDefinitely not, although that is a common myth. Looking at the sites in our Heart category, your heart keeps pumping blood throughout your body from when you're a baby in your mother's womb until the moment of death. Your heart beats all day and all night, all the time. When you run or play hard, your heart beats faster. When you're asleep, your heart beats slower, but it doesn't stop. If a person needs heart surgery, doctors hook the patient up to a machine that pumps blood for the heart. Only then is it safe for the doctor to stop the heart in order to operate. When you sneeze, the muscles in your abdomen, chest, and throat are all involved. And, even though you might not notice it, your heart is working too.\n\nEarl
736877
As they all say that's false. However...when you have a heart attack a strong sneeze can *stop* the heart attack! It really works (I've had to force a sneeze a few times).
59078
Many people thought that sneeze is impolite, it's true if you do it on purpose. But it is natural and it is good because when you sneeze bacteria that try to come inside your lung will come out. Try to cover your mouth and nose when you feel, you will sneeze.
190467
Sneezing is actually a reflex action to a stimuli.The nerves send the message to the brain and then you sneeze. During sleep the reflex part of your brain rests too. The irritant still annoys the nerves but  no message is sent to the brain. However if the stimuli builds the irritant to  a level registered as pain the brain will wake you and you will sneeze (but to have this part of your brain working  you need to be awake!!)Scientific Fact! :)
458412
no, but ur head hurts with all the pressure - it could make a blood vessel pop - be careful
439582
It is said that all bodily functions stop when you sneeze... save the actual sneezing function itself. \n\nDon't know if this really answers your question, but it seemed applicable.\n\nHave a good one!\n\n-Jordan
468529
no its not possible to sneeze without closing ur eyes coz its a reflex action that happenes
188701
Changes in breathing (rapid inhalation/exhalation) and heart-rate might be linked to it somehow. That might explain the venous involvement...something to do with circulation perhaps which is aggravated by the sneezing fit?
131899
In the short term you can stop sneezing by pressing hard on the middle of your top lip. That disrupts the nerve impulses from the nose and will kill most sneezing. \n\nIn the long term you need to treat whatever os causing you to sneeze, whther that's an allegy or an infection. Anti-allergy medication often works.
352983
Yes. This is a very interesting question and have an answer everyone must know. \n\nWhenever we sneeze, our heart stops. This is the only time in the life (of a living person) when a heart stops. There has been a convention of different cultures around the world to welcome (or say welcome back) just after sneezing. These people don't know why we welcome the person who just sneezed. But the truth is that, he/she just came back from a situation between life and death.
1008079
Because the pressure of the sneeze, you close your eyes. You can't control them because its something the body controls. Try holding your nose or biting your tongue though if you're about to sneeze. Then you don't.
252147
In a way "yes" and a way "no". Yes, most of the time it is physically imposible, yet, there are those rare cases in which u can sneeze with your eyes open. It has yet been proven that the eyes pop out, yet the sneezing with the eyes open does occur. I learned in my Psychology class that there is a disorder called the Conversion Disorder. In most cases of this disorder there is uncontrollable sneezing, and in such cases as these, the persons eyes DO NOT close during a sneeze.\n\nAlso, even though u may think that the eyes arent connected to the nose, throat, etc. They in fact are connected. Have u ever taken eye drops and allowed the whole entire eye drop get completly absorbed by the eye?? If u have did u taste anything?? Did u smell any thing?? Im not sure exactly what its called, it could possible be the tear ducts, i dunno, but there is an entry/exit way at the corners of your eyes, when u take eye drops and the eye drop "mysteriously" dissolves, most of it went down that entry/exit way. Hence, it sliding down your throat and into your mouth (just a lil bit) tasting it and smelling it at the sametime. If yer tasting yer smellin as well. (unless those sensory organs are usless) This doesnt werk on Visine and water-based eyedrops. \n\nSo, the answer is "NO" on the eyes poppin outta the dome.
389251
I don't think so, and I've never heard this before.  I have heard that your heart stops momentarily when you sneeze though.
1065758
Yes.  It is possible for your head to pop.  You could have a brain aneurysm.  A brain (cerebral) aneurysm is a bulging, weak area in the wall of an artery that supplies blood to the brain. In most cases, a brain aneurysm causes no symptoms and goes unnoticed. In rare cases, the brain aneurysm ruptures (explodes), releasing blood into the skull and causing a stroke.  I knew a young girl (11) that all of a sudden complained about a severe headache.  She had an aneurysm and died within the hour.  Her parents did not see it coming.
305374
I was once told it's because your heart skips a beat when you sneeze.............not sure it that's true or not?