2006-11-28 02:47:41 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
Similar to the reflex that occurs when your knee kicks after it's hit with a medical hammer, or the way your hand pulls away from something hot when you burn it, closing your eyes when you sneeze is a powerful reflex.
A sneeze is a kind of bodywide reflex in which a lot of muscles contract, not just in the nose and throat but also those in the diaphragm, the abdomen, thighs, back, even sphincters (which is why some people with stress incontinence may urinate slightly when they sneeze). When we sneeze, we tense some of our muscles. The tensing (tightening) of our muscles causes our eyes to shut.
2006-11-28 03:01:56 · answer #1 · answered by TY 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A sneeze is simply an involuntary nervous response to nasal irritation. The sneeze impulse affects a variety of body parts, including the abdomen, chest, neck, and face. During a sneeze, the impulses that travel through your face cause your eyelids to blink. This response is entirely automatic. There's nothing you can do about it. Sneezing puts a lot of pressure on your head and respiratory system, so blinking is probably a protective mechanism.
The point is that all of these responses (the abdominal contraction, the sharp burst of air out of your lungs, the general lunging movement) are intertwined. When you sneeze, you can't do one without the other.
2006-11-28 02:51:54 · answer #2 · answered by party_pam 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The reflex of closing your eyes while sneezing is to protect your eyes from the infected mucus spray coming from your nose and mouth. When you break wind, your eyes go wide open, more out of surprise than anything else.
2006-11-28 02:54:20 · answer #3 · answered by $Sun King$ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They just had this on a science show here in Canada...
It is an involunary muscle that is programed to close when sneezing...The tear ducts have a routing to the throat/nose canal..The muscle closes to prevent the pressure that goes up the tube, from doing damage to the eye's...Yuke
2006-11-28 03:04:53 · answer #4 · answered by yukoneze 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have heard many people say it is a involuntary reflex that just happens when you sneeze i have also heard that when you sneeze you close your eyes because the force that your sneeze has could blow your eyes right out of the sockets... I dunno if its true or not, but i dont want to be the one to find out either!!
~CHEERS!!~
2006-11-28 03:05:40 · answer #5 · answered by Romy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We sneeze and cough at with regard to the cost of sound, so it may desire to be a reliable theory to close our eyes tightly for the duration of the approach. never comprehend, eye balls could desire to come out or something!
2016-12-14 08:06:25 · answer #6 · answered by lesniewski 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when you sneeze the stuff that comes out your nose is tiny little people. they dont want you to see them so they make you close your eyes so they can excape without being seen.
2006-11-28 02:51:41 · answer #7 · answered by Samantha E 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Must be some sort of involuntary protective reflex.
2006-11-28 02:49:23 · answer #8 · answered by Nefandus 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So your eyeballs don't pop out of your head.
2006-11-28 02:49:06 · answer #9 · answered by Bean counter 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋