Why do I sneeze when I pluck my eyebrows?

Search: why do i sneeze when i pluck my eyebrows

Why: I sneeze when I tweeze (which is not often).

Answer: First, the sneeze:

1. Irritation of the nasal passages excites your trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for sensation the fact.
2. The impulses travel through the trigeminal ganglion to a set of neurons located in the brain stem which are collectively known as the "sneezing center."
   
3. The "sneezing center" sends impulses along the facial nerve back to the nasal passages and face, and causes your nasal passages to secrete fluid and become congested. Sometimes your eyes will water also. This nasal congestion is called the nasal phase of the sneeze.
4. The "sneezing center" also sends impulses to your respiratory muscles via the spinal cord. These impulses cause the deep inspiration and forceful expiration of the sneeze. This "act of sneezing" is called the respiratory phase.

Lots of stimuli can trigger a sneeze, including allergies, irritants (like pepper), and sunlight; these all excite the "sneezing center." Eyebrow plucking excites a branch of the nerve that supplies your nasal passages. Doctors speculate that even though the impulses aren't coming from the nose, the stimulation generated by eyebrow plucking makes the entire nerve more sensitive. This makes it very easy for enough impulses to reach the "sneezing center" to generate a sneeze.

Source: MadSci.org

The More You Know: "Achoo" is an onomatopoeia. Here is how to say the sneeze sound in other languages:

• Cypriot Greek - Apshoo!
  
• Danish - Atju!
• Dutch - Hatsjoe! or Hatsjie!
• Estonian - Atsihh! and Aptsihh!
• Filipino - Hatsing!
• Finnish - Atsiuh!
• French - Atchoum!
• German - Hatschie!
• Hebrew - Apchi!
• Hungarian - Hapci!
• Icelandic - Atsjú!
• Italian - Etciù!
• Japanese - Hakushon!
• Korean - Achee!
• Lithuanian - Apchi!
• Malayalam - Thummal
• Polish - Apsik!
• Portuguese - Atchim!
• Romanian - Hapciu!
• Russian - Apchkhi!
• Spanish - ¡Achús!
• Swedish - Atjo!
• Tamil - Thummal
• Turkish - Hapşu!
• Vietnamese - Hát-xì!