Why Do You Sneeze?
Usually you sneeze to get rid of an irritation in the air passage of your nose. Various things can cause a sneeze. You may have dust up your nose, or you may have breathed in pollen from grass or flowers. And cold germs can irritate the tender lining of your nose.
Your body reacts to the troublesome irritation by sending a violent rush of air out through the nose and mouth. Sneezing helps clear the nose and gets rid of some of the cold germs. But unless you cover your mouth and nose, the germs escape into the air and may infect others.
Do you know anyone who sneezes when they step outside into the sunshine? About one out of every three people sneezes when exposed to bright light. They are called photic sneezers (photic means light).
If you are a photic sneezer, you got it from one of your parents because it is an inherited trait. You could say that it runs in your family. Most people have some sensitivity to light that can trigger a sneeze.