In A Rare First, Man Tears Windpipe From Holding His Sneeze
NDTV
It was revealed by an X-ray that the man had surgical emphysema, a disease where air becomes trapped behind the skin's deepest tissue layers.
A man tore his windpipe after he tried to hold in a sneeze, which medical professionals say is the first known case of its kind. The incident took place when the man suddenly experienced hay fever while driving his car. However, instead of placing his finger beneath his nose or letting the sneeze go uncontrollably, he squeezed his nose and closed his mouth. This strange sneeze control technique had just the opposite effect- the force of the suppressed sneeze caused a tiny, two-by-two-millimetre hole in his windpipe, according to a report in Live Science. The man's airway closure caused pressure to build up, which induced a sneeze that was 20 times stronger than usual, causing horrific damage.
In this case, the pressure was so high that the man's windpipe tore, measuring 0.08 by 0.08 inches. Further, the man went to seek medical attention as he was in severe pain and his neck swelled on both sides. The doctors examined him and heard a faint crackling sound. However, the man did not have any trouble breathing, talking or swallowing.
It was revealed by an X-ray that the man had surgical emphysema, a disease where air becomes trapped behind the skin's deepest tissue layers. Subsequently, a CT scan showed that the rip was located between his neck's third and fourth vertebrae. Additionally, air had gathered in the area between his lungs and his chest. The medical professionals concluded that the damage was caused by a "rapid build-up of pressure in the trachea while sneezing with a pinched nose and closed mouth."
