Is it the dog?

Well there were 5 more sneezes when I got home last night, and 5 more this morning after I'd taken the dog out for her morning woo (I'll leave you to work it out).

So, the question I'm asking myself today is why, after years of being a normal sneezer (a sneeze once every few days or weeks? Probably about normal?) to sneezing at least 4 times EVERY DAY. At least I think so, hence this blog, a super duper idea planted in my head as a joke by a friend; what better way to chart my sneezing life daily whilst getting the opportunity to clear my head of the rubbish that lies within, and exploring the reasons behind my sneezing hatred? Some friends describe my weird reaction as a 'phobia'. I disagreed, on the basis that a phobia is:

pho·bi·a (fb-)
n.
1. A persistent, abnormal, and irrational fear of a specific thing or situation that compels one to avoid it, despite the awareness and reassurance that it is not dangerous.
2. A strong fear, dislike, or aversion.

and I maintain that I'm not frightened of sneezing, just that it evokes a real need to get away from it, to make it stop, to hurt the person doing it to make them stop....which thinking about it is a

2. A strong fear, dislike, or aversion

hmmmmmmmmmmmm, maybe I am sneeze phobic after all......



However does such a thing exist? A quick search of the good old tinternet revealed this:

There does not appear to be a scientific term to describe a fear of sneezing. Several sources refer to sternutaphobia as the correct term, but at least one other source claims this to be 'the fear of not being able to sneeze' or to 'bring a sneeze to fruition'. It is not confirmed that either definition is recognized by the medical community.

It's not everyone sneezing brings this out in me. Quite a few people can sneeze in front of me and just provoke a mild reaction, some the most severe reaction. It doesn't seem to relate to how well I know the person, the noise of sneeze, or the amount of times it happens; for example my Mum provokes the strongest reaction in me (quite loud sneezes quite similar to my own) but the same reaction can come about by a stranger sneezing quietly in a supermarket.

Anyhoo, I've digressed a bit. My musings this morning were prompted by wondering if I was allergic to our new dog (the daily sneezing possibly started since we've had her, which was also around the time my second son was born. I only developed hayfever after my first son was born, along with a love of olives) so that may be something to think about.

Said second son has just woken up, so I'm off :-)

Update: 10 more sneezes throughout the day.......