A CASE OF INTRACTABLE SNEEZING - A PLEASURE SENT FROM GOD

Sneezing or sternutation is usually the physiologic response to nasal irritation. The reflex follows a very complicated pathway requiring co ordinated communication between the trigeminal and nervus terminalis a fferent impulses as well as from glottic and inspiratory muscles in th e efferent limb. When the reflex pathway is unbalanced, sneezing can i ncrease in frequency and severity to the extent that some patients bec ome disabled. We present the clinical examination, differential diagno sis, and treatment modalities for the case of an adolescent male who e xperienced debilitating intractable sneezing for more than one year. A s for many of the patients described with this elusive diagnosis, our patient appears to have a functional etiology.