我们每个人都有这样的体会，当想打喷嚏的时候，好像突然来了一股不可抗拒的力量，想控制是困难的。打完喷嚏后，接着会出现瞬间的轻快感。那么，我们到底为什么会打喷嚏呢？下面这篇文章将告诉您答案。

Sneezing usually occurs when the nerve endings of the mucous¹ membrane² of the nose are irritated, due to a swelling³ of the membrane, for example when we have a cold, or when some foreign body, such as a gnat⁴, invades our nose, or when allergy⁵ and pollen⁶ season strike.

Surprisingly enough, sneezing can be brought on (or out!) when the optic nerves in our eyes are exposed to bright light!

For whatever reason, the membrane is irritated, sneezing is a reflex act, completely beyond our control, by which the nose trumpets⁷ out air in an attempt to eject (and project!) the irritating bodies. Sometimes, however, this is accomplished⁸ only through multiple sneezes.

Medical science dispelled⁹ ancient beliefs concerning the out-of-control sneeze, and snuffed out superstitions¹⁰ in the process. Primitive¹¹ people held the belief that a sneeze signified approaching death, and immediately assisted the distressed¹² person by crying out "God help you!" Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks, saw the sneeze as an omen¹³ of approaching danger, or, on a more positive note, as a way of foretelling¹⁴ the future. Lucky ones sneezed to the right, while unlucky ones sneezed to the left. The moral of the story is to know your right from your left, and to sneeze in that direction, regardless of who is next to you!

Biblically speaking, sneezing meant a certain death, until Jacob nosed in and made a deal with God, whereby a prayer per sneeze cheated the grim reaper¹⁵. Pope Gregory the Great, in response to the sixth century plague in Italy, carved out his place in history as being the one responsible for insisting that prayers, such as "God bless you!," be said in response to the deadly sneeze. He did not, however, order that tissues be kept close at hand to snare¹⁶ the airborne germs spewed forth¹⁷ by the sneeze.

mucous membrane: 粘膜