Sneezing Multiple Times in a Row

It starts with a tingling. Then a breath that goes deeper than intended. And then it breaks out of you — not once, but two, three, four times in succession. A volley that cannot be stopped. Your head jerks, your eyes water, your whole upper body shudders. And when it's over, there remains this strange feeling: something was just hurled out that had long wanted to leave.

From a medical standpoint, sneezing is a reflex. The nasal mucous membrane registers an irritant, the respiratory centre in the brainstem fires, and within milliseconds air is pressed through your airways at up to 150 kilometers per hour. A cleansing mechanism. A protection. That's as far as the physiology goes.