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Sneezing After Eating

Sneezing after eating could be an allergic reaction due to the food or something airborne. Look at the causes of sneezing after eating.
Pragya T
Sneezing after a meal can be embarrassing, especially if you are eating out, eating at a party, or at a get together. By understanding the cause of this condition, one can treat the cause to prevent this embarrassing condition. Here, are the most common causes related to this condition...

Causes

There are many trigger factors that could be responsible, but sneezing after a meal is mostly caused due to certain substances present in the food that one eats. Below are some of the causes and ways in which you can find out the allergen.

Gustatory Rhinitis

This is a type of non-allergic rhinitis and is mostly associated with the ingestion of anything hot or spicy. Also, cold foods or drinks can trigger sneezing. In this condition people get a runny nose and start sneezing as the nose gets congested.
This happens due to neurogenic reflex mechanism, which originates in the nervous system. The body starts sneezing to get rid of any irritation.

Food Allergies

You could be allergic to a specific type of food, which might be causing the sneezing. Try to remember what you ate in your last meal that caused the sneezing. To find out what triggers this reaction after a meal, note down the time and date of the allergic reaction after a meal in a diary.
It can be either a preparation or the ingredient in the food preparation which might be causing the allergy. So, observe and note down carefully the food preparation and ingredients in your meal whenever you get a bout of sneezing after having a food.
After sometime you will be able to understand better your food allergies, and thus prevent eating the food you are allergic to.

Distended Stomach

Another possible reason for sneezing could be a distended stomach. Distended stomach is a symptom of abdominal swelling, which could be causing the sneezing. However, there are also other reasons for a distended stomach.
Sneezing has been attributed to this stomach swelling symptom. So, you could be suffering from sneezing due to eating large meals which could also lead to abdominal pain and bloating. To check if you are allergic to large meals, try to eat food in small and frequent meals.

Airborne Allergies

One might also get sneezing due to some airborne allergy. The allergies can be due to anything like pollens, grains, dust, scent, etc. To determine the airborne allergy can be bit of a difficult job, as the allergic reaction can be triggered by anything. Observe if you are not getting the allergic reaction due to your pet.
Check if you are allergic to someone's perfume or the air freshener. Check if you get sneezing after meals when it is a specific weather or season. You could also be getting sneezing due to dust allergy in which you will have to clean the dining room. You could also be getting sneezing during or after eating, if someone or you are spraying pepper or perfume.

Treatment

These were the causes related to the condition, so if you are violently and continuously sneezing after a meal, you can take an antihistamine or use a nasal spray for allergy relief. To treat the condition properly, consult a doctor and get the condition diagnosed, so that the exact cause can be identified and treated.
However, if you just sneeze for a little while after or during a meal, but can ignore it easily, then you can avoid taking any medicine and just keep a tissue box handy whenever eating a meal. If you are going out to eat and suffer from sneezing too much, then make sure you carry some tissues along with you.
It can be due to any one of the above possible causes. You can use the above ways of finding the allergen and thus, avoid the annoying symptoms of sneezing after a meal.
Disclaimer: This is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.