Water/ moisture causes sneezing?

[Heathcliff]

I noticed that my friend M often sneezes when water or dampness gets up his nose- he has even commented on it. I was wondering whether this is common.

The first time I noticed was when I was caught in a light shower of rain with M. After a while, he sneezed loudly twice.

"Bless you. Have you got hayfever?" I asked.

"No," he replied, "It's just because it's wet. The rain's getting to me." I was intrigued by this comment, but didn't press the subject.

Then, last week, I was at M's house. He splashed his face with water in the bathroom, after we had come in from the hot sun outside.

As he came out of the bathroom, he paused, and sneezed after a few seconds of buildup.

"Ugh..." he said, "I'm always allergic to water."

I knew what he meant, but pretended I didn't:

"What? I don't think you can be allergic to water, can you?" I said.

"No, I mean... when I get water up my nose- it makes me sneeze." he said, confirming it.

I had never heard of this before. Sure, I knew that people often sneeze whilst swimming, from inhaling chlorinated water into their noses. But I'd never heard of someone sneezing just because of the rain before.

Has anyone else observed this?

[Lynne]

I often sneeze in the shower because water gets up my nose, and I know many other people who experience the same thing.

[Cashewnut]

Heathcliff: Yes I have observed this phenomenom on three occasions, but only with the same young lady I used to work with. In short, the first two occasions were as she turned up for work in the pouring rain, to start her shift on reception. Naturally, with people coming and going all the time, the surroundings were often on the moist side. I remember the second occasion well, as N - as I shall call her - was experiencing difficulties in getting the secure key locker open, so I was only too happy to help. Whilst effectively trying to lever out the locker door, she let out a couple of wet sneezes, causing me to go somewhat red in the face with excitement. She passed comment, and I recall making some excuse about the brute force involved, which she seemed to swallow.

The final occasion was on a rainy bank hoilday (typical!) and we were both working overtime (I work in retail). We have a small garden-centre type complex outside the main building and N was on her own staffing it all day. I called round to do some stock checks, and knowing very little about plants, I rely on the goodwill of my colleagues to show me around. If I have ever described myself as 'green fingered' it's not in a horticultural context! *lol* Anyway I digress... I was pleased to see N on that day. She was 21 years of age with short cropped hair, dark complexion, bright eyes, great figure and enthusiastic. As we stepped outside to check on some stock, the rain got the better of her as she began a series of wet, delicious sneezes. I felt like a dog on a lead, as she escorted me around, and as we returned indoors, the centre's walls and roof only served to amplify her "HERRRRASSSSHYUUUURGGGG!" style of sneezing. When she wasn't sneezing, she was blowing her nose into a white hanky, looking me straight in the eyes and continuing to chat. It was great, and during this episode I went from knowing very little about plants to nothing at all!

Sadly N left a few years ago, and I never did have the guts to attempt to confirm the cause of her sneezing with her.

PS: Sorry if this post would seem more appropriate for the obs section, but it is intended as a response to a point of general discussion.

[count tiszula]

I suspect that for a lot of people it is not the chlorine but the water that makes them sneezy; they sneeze in seawater too. A friend once got water from a glass she was drinking up her nose and sneezed six times.

Rain sneezing may be change of temperature sneezing, but, oddly, a summer thunderstorm seems to cause mass hay fever fits. You'd think it would damp the pollen down, but I suspect it somehow brings down the pollen from the sky where it normally accumulates.

[sneezerwoman]

Yes this happens to me too.

[Trillium]

Funny you should mention it: I think I observed this happen in a young man last night who was at the outdoor play I was attending (Shakespeare's Henry V, if you are interested).

About 15 minutes into the second half of the play it began to rain in earnest, and the audience all ran for the overhang surrounding the gift shop so we wouldn't get wet. I was chatting with my 2 girlfriends when I heard a male sneeze, medium-loud, in the small group of people next to us. The guy who sneezed was a hottie (but alas, young enough to be my son!), probably about 6 foot, dark close-cropped hair, largish nose, and I couldn't tell what color his eyes were in the semi-dark. Yum. He was wearing a kind of dorky camel-colored corduroy blazer, and I immediately thought, "grad student" (especially since the theater is outside a large college town).

Anyway, after he sneezed, he turned away from his family (looked like his parents and sister), and then just happened to be facing me, and blew his nose in some toilet paper, I think. (Not really the best thing to blow in, IMHO.) He did this a couple of times while I watched out of the corner of my eye. We were all standing there for some time to allow the rain to abate, and about 5 minutes later (as I was watching him surreptitiously, my sneeze radar on high alert now) he turned my way again and sneezed into his wad of toilet paper (or paper hand towel or whatever it was).

Shortly thereafter, the audience was called back to our seats so the play could resume. Bingo, I was lucky enough to have a great view of my young hottie. He was on my left, down in the next section about 10 rows or so, and no one was blocking my view. During the remainder of the play, I was treated to frequent blows and just one more sneeze.

It did kind of spoil the play for me, as my mind was mostly speculating whether he had a cold or allergies, rather than focusing on Henry at Agincourt. Oh well!

[DublinShadow]

It doesn't rain often where I live, but I regularly have small fits in the shower, and even more often I'll get into a shower and feel all the pressure in my nose loosen up and be able to blow.

I believe it is an effect of humidity.