Does sunlight make you feel the need to sneeze? Here's why

2024-07-20 2024-07-20T09:43:20Z

Weather of Arabia - When a person comes out of a dark building into bright sunlight, he may suddenly feel the need to sneeze, and it is a common phenomenon, as about 1 in 3 people show this reaction, but what is the reason for this phenomenon?

What is the cause of this phenomenon?

This reflex, known as the photic sneeze reflex, has been observed since at least the 4th century BC, when the ancient Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle wondered:

“Why is a person more likely to sneeze after looking at the sun?”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, forced solar photosynthesis syndrome is known as an autosomal dominant trait, meaning a person has a 50% chance of inheriting this reaction to light if one of their biological parents has the condition, according to Live Science.

Dr. David Lang, chief of the division of allergy and clinical immunology at the Respiratory Institute at Cleveland Clinic, explained that photic sneezing typically occurs after exposure to bright light such as sunlight and often when transitioning from darkness to light, for example after turning on the lights in a dark room. He stressed that "the reason is not related to a specific wavelength of light, but rather to a change in the intensity of light."

The intensity of the photic sneezing reflex can also vary from person to person. For some, photic sneezing occurs only occasionally and is not permanent. The Cleveland Clinic noted that bright lights can lead to uncontrolled sneezing several times in a row in some people.

Scientists are still not entirely sure what exactly causes photic sneezing. But some suggest that one possibility is that bright light may stimulate the trigeminal nerve, whose branches spread across the face. Professor Lang said that light that stimulates the branch leading to the eye may also end up stimulating the branch leading to the nose.

Association of photic sneezing with deviated nasal septum and migraine

In a 2010 study, researchers at a genetic testing facility in California discovered two mutations associated with photic sneezing, and a 1995 study in Alabama showed that photic sneezing may also be linked to a deviated nasal septum. In another study conducted in Japan in 2019, a possible link between this reflex and migraines was discovered.

Photic sneezing is generally considered harmless, "although it may increase the risk of a highway accident, especially if a person is exposed to sudden changes in the intensity of bright light."

“The main way to deal with photic sneezing is to wear sunglasses when you go outside,” said Dr. William Howland, medical director of the Orion Clinical Research Center in Austin, noting that taking antihistamines, which typically affect allergies, does not affect this reflex. Professor Lange advised another possible way to prevent photic sneezing, which is to "press the navel, the groove located below the middle of the nose, with one horizontal finger as if the person were drawing a mustache with his finger."

It is worth noting that a 2019 study conducted in Australia indicated that pressure in this way may either overcome the irritation that the trigeminal nerve may experience from bright light, or it could interfere with the nerve signals that contribute to triggering photic sneezing.