Why do some people make vocal noises when they sneeze?

i say ‘hickup’ when i hickup. i cant help it. ive always done it. and everyone always laughs!

I’m a loud sneezer myself but I don’t vocalize while it happens and it is just a natural sneeze sound that I emit.

I know several people who sneeze but appear to try and contain it and it almost sounds like a restrained snort. In fact, they look almost uncomfortable trying to suppress their sneeze for some unknown reason when they could just let it out. I don’t find that annoying as much as I find it inexplicable.

I think it happens sometimes because they are caught unaware as they are about to speak. I think other times it is because it feels good. Sometimes it is simply a way to attract attention. I suspect some people can keep from doing it but not all. I don’t find it particularly annoying. What I do find annoying is when someone, noisily or not, sneezes on me or on my food without covering their mouth or without turning away.

You’d hate me, then. And I sneeze a lot. It’s not as if it can be helped.

@Darwin: Yeah, that is officially disgusting.

I do find the vacalizationof a sneeze a little bit annoying. Girl I work with does it so loud I can hear her two offices away – “ah ah AH CHOOOoooo ooo ooo”

It’s very dramatic. I think she does it for attention ‘cuz she always giggles afterward.

@AstroChuck – good thing you are a cyber friend and not a real world one, then. :-)

It seems like more of a reflex to me. I’m not sure if this will make much sense, but.. I’m a “violent” sneezer. My sneezes are often the kind that make your head fuzzy for 2–3 seconds… and so I breathe in so hard that I can’t do it without making some kind of vocal noise… usually a gasp… and then the sneeze causes an exhale the same way: some noise almost seems like it has to come out for me to sneeze without holding it in.

Got some violent sneezes that go something like “AAAAPPPPCHOOOOOOOO”.

It really adds some drama and satisfaction to the sneezing. Not to mention that a manly sneeze cements your alpha male status and impresses the ladies.

I usually sneeze three to seven times in a row, increasing in loudness and intensity as I go. My college roommate one told me I sounded like I was orgasming. I have absolutely no control over it—if I could, I’d be a lot quieter.

I really like sneezing: the sniffle, the little tickle in the nose hinting at a possible sneeze, the build-up and then the release, it’s quite enjoyable. The sneeze “vocalization” is entirely reflexive…

I’m with Bluefreedom, I don’t understand why people hold them in, sneezes are too good to not enjoy them. It’s not like we sneeze everyday – at least I don’t.

It is akin to the nature of a person’s laugh. A response learned somewhere way back in childhood, with maybe a little genetic predisposition thrown in.

My husband shouts AAAAAHHHHHH CHOOOOOOOOO every darn time. It’s loud enough to make my mother in New Jersey jump.

My guess is that at least some people are genetically disposed for shouting while sneezing. My father and his mother both do it and they’re not the kind of people who would attract attention to themselves that way.

In my father’s case it can be quite shocking because he makes no sound while inhaling before the sneeze, so it just sounds like a sudden yell. I’m actually happy I didn’t inherit it.

However, there may also be people who just do it for fun. The trick is, then, to distinguish between “voluntary” and “genetically compulsive” shout-sneezers.