A stupid question...

[Here Secretly]

Okay, so I was reading some other stuff here and I followed a link which lead to another link which lead to some off-forum research which eventually led me to reading that article on Wikipedia about HOW a sneeze happens exactly and THAT led me to wondering if a person did not have a nose... would that person sneeze? I mean, a LONG time ago someone posed this question to me and I thought "well, that's dumb. Of course they would. Irritants could get in even moreso right?" except there's that part about the nerves that are connected to the lining of the nose, and THAT left me wondering once again. So what's the answer? A couple things have occurred to me such as "yeah, sure, no difference" and "No, I guess not, which would be unfun as well as dangerously unhealthy" and also "maybe so, but perhaps with NO WARNING AT ALL!" I can't stand just wondering myself to death over here, and it's the last weekend before school goes back... so I'm asking is all. Anyone have any theories?

[zneeze]

No, I seriously doubt this. In other words, you need a nose to sneeze

[Photic]

Yea, you couldn't sneeze if you didn't have a nose. I have also heard cases of people who could no longer sneeze due to other medical reasons such as brain damage.

[chui]

well, brain damage would impair/hinder the nuclei in the brain (i beleive the medulla oblongata region) which are responsible for the sneezing reflex... so that would not be quite the same thing as those sensitive nerve endings located within the nasal mucosa....

however, if one had no nose, ala Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter, it is possible that there would still be nasal mucosa lining the openings, which would still be sensitive, and allow a person to sneeze. In fact, with no nares to cover and protect them, it would most likely be more likely to become irritated.