Sneeze Health Dictionary

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Sneeze: From 1 Different Sources

1. n. an involuntary violent reflex expulsion of air through the nose and mouth provoked by irritation of the mucous membrane lining the nasal cavity. 2. vb. to produce a sneeze.
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Cold, Common

An infection by any one of around 200 viruses, with about half the common-cold infections being caused by RHINOVIRUSES. Certain CORONAVIRUSES, ECHOVIRUSES and COXSACKIE VIRUSES are also culprits. The common cold – traditionally also called a chill – is one of several viral infections that cause respiratory symptoms and systemic illness. Others include PNEUMONIA and GASTROENTERITIS. Colds are commoner in winter, perhaps because people are more likely to be indoors in close contact with others.

Also called acute coryza or upper respiratory infection, the common cold is characterised by in?ammation of any or all of the airways – NOSE, sinuses (see SINUS), THROAT, LARYNX, TRACHEA and bronchi (see BRONCHUS). Most common, however, is the ‘head cold’, which is con?ned to the nose and throat, with initial symptoms presenting as a sore throat, runny nose and sneezing. The nasal discharge may become thick and yellow – a sign of secondary bacterial infection – while the patient often develops watery eyes, aching muscles, a cough, headache, listlessness and the shivers. PYREXIA (raised temperature) is usual. Colds can also result in a ?are-up of pre-existing conditions, such as asthma, bronchitis or ear infections. Most colds are self-limiting, resolving in a week or ten days, but some patients develop secondary bacterial infections of the sinuses, middle ear (see EAR), trachea, or LUNGS.

Treatment Symptomatic treatment with ANTIPYRETICS and ANALGESICS is usually su?cient; ANTIBIOTICS should not be taken unless there is de?nite secondary infection or unless the patient has an existing chest condition which could be worsened by a cold. Cold victims should consult a doctor only if symptoms persist or if they have a pre-existing condition, such as asthma which could be exacerbated by a cold.

Most colds result from breathing-in virus-containing droplets that have been coughed or sneezed into the atmosphere, though the virus can also be picked up from hand-to-hand contact or from articles such as hand towels. Prevention is, therefore, di?cult, given the high infectivity of the viruses. No scienti?cally proven, generally applicable preventive measures have yet been devised, but the incidence of the infection falls from about seven to eight years – schoolchildren may catch as many as eight colds annually – to old age, the elderly having few colds. So far, despite much research, no e?ective vaccines have been produced.... cold, common

Atopic

A type of inherited allergic response involving elevated immunoglobulin E. Sometimes called a reagin response, it means that you have hay fever, bronchial asthma, or skin problems like urticaria or eczema. It can be acquired, sometimes after hepatitis or extended contact with solvents or alcohol, but if your mama sneezed and your daddy itched, you will probably have one form or another of the above stuff at different times of your life. Solution: since you can’t change your stripes, keep in balance and avoid, if possible, the distortions of constant medications, both prescription and over-the-counter.... atopic

Centipeda Orbicularis

Lour.

Synonym: C. minima (Linn.) A.Br. & Asch.

Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.

Habitat: In damp places throughout the plains and low hills in India.

English: Sneezewort.

Ayurvedic: Kshavaka, Chhikkini, Chhikkikaa.

Folk: Nak-chhikani.

Action: Used for the treatment of rhinitis, sinusitis, nasopharyngeal tumors and obstructions, asthma and cold; also used in hemicrania.

The plant extract showed a good an- titussive and expectorant activity on mice. The flavonoids, sesquiterpenes and amide exhibited significant antial- lergy activity in passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) test.... centipeda orbicularis

Sneezing

A sudden expulsion of air through the NOSE, designed to expel irritating materials from the upper air passages. In sneezing, a powerful expiratory e?ort is made; the vocal cords (see VOICE AND SPEECH; LARYNX) are kept shut until the pressure in the chest has risen high; and air is then suddenly allowed to escape upwards, being directed into the back of the nose by the soft PALATE. One sneeze projects 10,000 to 100,000 droplets a distance of up to 10 metres at a rate of over 60 kilometres an hour. As such droplets may contain micro-organisms, it is clear what an important part sneezing plays in transmitting infections such as the COMMON COLD. Alhough usually transitory, sneezing may persist for days on end – up to 204 days have been recorded.

Sneezing may be caused by the presence of irritating particles in the nose, such as snu?, or the pollen of grasses and ?owers. It is also an early symptom of colds, INFLUENZA, MEASLES, and HAY FEVER, being then accompanied or followed by running at the nose (RHINITIS).... sneezing

Herpangina

A throat infection caused by coxsackievirus. Herpangina most commonly affects young children. The virus is usually transmitted via infected droplets coughed or sneezed into the air. Many people harbour the virus but do not have symptoms. Symptoms may include fever, sore throat, headache, abdominal discomfort, and muscular pains. The throat becomes red and a few small blisters appear, which enlarge and burst. Symptoms usually clear up within a week, without specific treatment.... herpangina

Valsalva’s Manoeuvre

A forcible attempt to breathe out when the airway is closed.

The manoeuvre occurs naturally when an attempt is made to breathe out while holding the vocal cords tightly together.

This happens, for example, at the beginning of a sneeze.

When performed deliberately by pinching the nose and holding the mouth closed, the manoeuvre can prevent pressure damage to the eardrums (see barotrauma).... valsalva’s manoeuvre

Syringomyelia

A rare disease affecting the SPINAL CORD, in which irregular cavities form, surrounded by an excessive amount of the connective tissue of the central nervous system. These cavities encroach upon the nerve-tracts in the cord, producing especially loss of the sense of pain or of that for heat and cold in parts of the limbs, although the sensation of touch is retained. Another occasional symptom is wasting of certain muscles in the limbs. Changes affecting outlying parts like the ?ngers are also found. Because of their insensitiveness to pain, these are often burnt or injured; troublesome ulcers, or loss of parts of the ?ngers, may result. The condition of the spinal cord is probably present at birth, although the symptoms do not usually appear until adulthood. The disease is slowly progressive, although sudden exacerbations may occur after a cough, a sneeze, or sudden straining. Treatment is supportive for this progressive disorder.... syringomyelia

Aphasia

A complete absence of previously acquired language skills, caused by a brain disorder that affects the ability to speak and write, and/or the ability to comprehend and read. Related disabilities that may occur in aphasia are alexia (word blindness) and agraphia (writing difficulty).

Language function in the brain lies in the dominant cerebral hemisphere (see cerebrum). Two particular areas in this hemisphere, Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas, and the pathways connecting the two, are important in language skills. Damage to these areas, which most commonly occurs as a result of stroke or head injury, can lead to aphasia.

Some recovery from aphasia is usual following a stroke or head injury, although the more severe the aphasia, the less the chances of recovery. Speech therapy is the main treatment. (See also dysphasia; speech; speech disorders.)

SIGN SCORE 0 SCORE 1 SCORE 2
Heart-rate None Below 100 beats per minute Over 100 beats per minute
Breathing None Weak cry; irregular breathing Strong cry; regular breathing
Muscle tone Limp Some muscle tone Active movement
Response to stimulation None Grimace or whimpering Cry, sneeze or cough
Colour Pale; blue Blue extremities Pink
... aphasia

Influenza

A viral infection of the respiratory tract (air passages), typically causing fever, headache, muscle ache, and weakness. Popularly known as “flu”, it is spread by infected droplets from coughs or sneezes. Influenza usually occurs in small outbreaks or every few years in epidemics. There are 3 main types of influenza virus: A, B, and C. A person who has had an attack caused by the type C virus acquires antibodies that provide immunity against type C for life. Infection with a strain of type A or B virus produces immunity to that particular strain. However, type A and B viruses are capable of altering to produce new

strains: type A has been the cause of pandemics in the last century.

Types A and B produce classic flu symptoms; type C causes a mild illness that is indistinguishable from a common cold. The illness usually clears up completely within 7–10 days. Rarely, flu takes a severe form, causing acute pneumonia that may be fatal within a day or 2 even in healthy young adults. Type B infections in children sometimes mimic appendicitis, and they have been implicated in Reye’s syndrome. In the elderly and those with lung or heart disease, influenza may be followed by a bacterial infection such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Analgesic drugs (painkillers) help to relieve aches and pains and reduce fever. The antiviral drug amantadine may be given if the person is elderly or has another lung condition. Antibiotic drugs may be used to combat secondary bacterial infection.

Flu vaccines, containing killed strains of the types A and B virus currently in circulation, are available, but have only a 60–70 per cent success rate.

Immunity is short-lived, and vaccination (recommended for older people and anyone suffering from respiratory or circulatory disease) must be repeated annually.... influenza

Tuberculosis

An infectious disease, commonly called , caused in humans by the bacterium MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS. is usually transmitted in airborne droplets expelled when an infected person coughs or sneezes. An inhaled droplet enters the lungs and the bacteria begin multiplying. The immune system usually seals off the infection at this point, but in about 5 per cent of cases the infection spreads to the lymph nodes. It may also spread to other organs through the bloodstream, which may lead to miliary tuberculosis, a potentially fatal form of the disease.

In about another 5 per cent of cases, bacteria held in a dormant state by the immune system become reactivated months, or even years, later. The infection may then progressively damage the lungs, forming cavities.

The primary infection is usually without symptoms. Progressive infection in the lungs causes coughing (sometimes bringing up blood), chest pain, shortness of breath, fever and sweating, poor appetite, and weight loss. Pleural effusion or pneumothorax may develop. The lung damage may be fatal.

A diagnosis is made from the symptoms and signs, from a chest X-ray, and from tests on the sputum. Alternatively, a bronchoscopy may also be carried out to obtain samples for culture.

Treatment is usually with a course of 3 or 4 drugs, taken daily for 2 months, followed by daily doses of isoniazid and rifampicin for 4–6 months. However, bacteria are increasingly resistant to the drugs used in treatment, and others may have to be used and treatment carried out for a longer period. If the full course of drugs is taken, most patients recover.

can be prevented by BCG vaccination, which is offered routinely at birth or age 10–14.

Any contacts of an infected person are traced and examined, and, if infected, are treated early to reduce the risk of the infection spreading.... tuberculosis


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