American scientists from Cleveland Clinic studied the connection between exposure to bright light and the sneezing reflex in humans. According to reports, this feature turned out to be a genetic trait found in one in three people (33%) in the world. portal Live Science.
Experts have defined this phenomenon as autosomal dominant, persistent heliophthalmic flash syndrome, or photic sneeze reflex (PSR). It occurs when there is a sudden change in illumination, for example when a person steps out of the shadow of a building into a sunny area or turns on a powerful lamp in a dark room.
HSR turns out to be a dominant genetic trait, the scientists found; This means that if one of a person’s parents has such a reaction, there is a 50% chance of inheriting it.
The severity of the mild sneeze reflex may vary from person to person. For some people, this type of sneezing only occurs occasionally. For others, bright light can trigger uncontrollable sneezing several times in a row.
Scientists are still not sure what exactly causes mild sneezing. One theory is that bright light can stimulate the trigeminal nerve, whose branches run through the face.
A light sneeze is usually harmless, but it can cause a person to become momentarily distracted in a dangerous situation. To overcome the reflex, experts recommend wearing sunglasses in sunny weather. At the same time, antihistamines taken due to allergies do not help against SHR.
Another possible way to prevent mild sneezing is to press your finger under your nose in a horizontal position. This pressure can either suppress the irritation the trigeminal nerve may experience from bright light or interfere with the nerve signals that cause HSR.
used to be a doctor said About unusual allergy symptoms.