• Allergies
• Sinus Infection

6 Quick Tricks To Stop Sneezing

Medically reviewed and edited by Payel Gupta, MD, FACAAI

Published: October 13, 2021
Updated: March 14, 2025
4 mins

Sometimes, a good sneeze is exactly what you need. But allergy-induced sneezing that seems to never end can get annoying.

As frustrating as constant sneezing can be, there are several ways to stop them just as quickly as they all come on. Let’s take a look at some of the easiest ways to stop sneezing fast.

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1. Avoid Triggers

This might seem like an obvious answer, but truly one of the easiest ways to stop sneezing is to prevent it from happening in the first place. You can do this by learning what triggers your sinuses.

Common allergy triggers include:

• Pollen

• Animal dander

• Dust mites

• Mold

If you're experiencing allergic reactions but don't know the cause, an allergy test can help identify specific triggers. A healthcare professional can recommend the right test and guide you on management and treatment.

2. Turn the Lights Out

We know this sounds strange, but the reason you may be sneezing so much might have to do with the amount of light exposure you’re experiencing. Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helioopthalmic Outburst (ACHOO syndrome) is a health condition where light triggers sneezing.

About one in four people who experience a prickling sensation before a sneeze may be triggered by extremely bright lights. Health experts are still working to figure out why this happens.

3. Use Medication for Relief

Things like pollen or pet dander make your nose run and sinuses clog because your body releases a chemical called histamines that tries to attack the foreign substance. Histamines make you cough and sneeze as a way of expelling the nasty stuff out of your nostrils.

But pollen and dander aren’t actually harmless, so if you can stop the production of those histamines, you’ll be all set. This is where allergy medications known as antihistamines come into play. They inhibit the production of histamines to help bring you relief fast.

4. Blow Your Nose

Sneezing is caused by irritation in the mucus membranes of your nose or throat. That means that if you can get the irritant out of your nostril in the first place, you might be able to stop the sneezing.

All you may need to do is blow your nose to get all of the gunk out of there. You may start feeling better right away.

5. Don’t Eat Too Much

Have you ever gorged on a giant Thanksgiving meal, plopped down on the couch, and then sneezed uncontrollably? You just experienced something called gustatory rhinitis -- and it’s more common than you think.

While it’s not really understood what causes this, it may have something to do with spicy or pungent foods that irritate the mucous membranes in your nose and throat. Temperature can play a role, too, with hot foods acting as a sneeze trigger.

So if you’re prone to frequent sneezing, try to avoid some of these types of foods, or just bring some extra tissues to your next potluck.

6. Try Using a Nasal Spray

Typical oral antihistamines can take some time to kick in. If you need to stop sneezing fast, there’s really no better way than by confronting the source with a nasal spray.

An antihistamine nasal spray might work quickly by blocking histamine, the chemical that causes allergies and sneezing. Just a quick spray in each nostril can help bring you relief and stop the sneezing in its tracks.

Clearing the Air

While there’s no foolproof way to stop sneeze attack “sneezures” when they arise, there are a few ways you can try. Traditional methods include confronting the allergies directly with antihistamines, nasal sprays, and avoiding your triggers.

But if those don’t work, you can try less traditional methods such as avoiding exposure to light, saying a funny word before the sneeze gets to you, or consuming less spicy foods. You can also just do something as simple as blow your nose to help rid of mucous membrane irritants and stop achoo-ing.

At LifeMD, you can speak with a licensed healthcare provider about what to do about excessive sneezing and allergies. They can give tips for keeping yourself safe during allergy season and about allergen-free foods to add to your diet.

Make an appointment today to learn more.

Payel Gupta, MD, FACAAI

Dr. Gupta holds certifications from the American Board of Allergy and Immunology, American Board of Internal Medicine, and American Board of Pediatrics. With a deep interest in global health, she’s volunteered her clinical skills across many continents.

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