Test Your Knowledge

Sneezing is related to many different physical stimuli. Sneezing may be a reflux response to an environmental irritant, due to a cold, or a symptom of a medical condition that will require treatment.

Common causes of sneezing include:

• Allergies (e.g., dust, pollen, mold, dander)
  
  
• Foreign objects in the nose (occurs most often in children)
  
  
• Nasal sprays
  
  
• Environmental irritants (e.g., dust, smoke)
  
  
• Poor indoor air quality
  
  
• Bright light
  
  
• Pregnancy
  
  
• Plucking the eyebrows
  
  
• Viral infections (e.g., colds, flu)
  
  
• Chemicals