US Medical Term · symptoms
Sneezing
Estornudos
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Sneezing |
| Spanish (Español) | Estornudos |
| Chinese (中文) | 打噴嚏 |
| Korean (한국어) | 재채기 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Hắt xì |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Pagbahing |
| Portuguese (Português) | Espirros |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | จาม |
| Japanese (日本語) | くしゃみ |
What it means
Sneezing is a reflex that forcefully expels air through the nose and mouth to clear irritants from the nasal passages. Occasional sneezing is completely normal. Frequent or prolonged sneezing is most commonly caused by allergic rhinitis (hay fever), the common cold, influenza, or other upper respiratory infections. Less commonly it can result from nasal polyps, exposure to cold air or bright light, or irritants such as dust, smoke, or chemical fumes. Sneezing that is persistent, accompanied by thick nasal discharge, fever, facial pressure, or loss of smell warrants evaluation to distinguish allergies from a sinus infection or other condition.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
I've been sneezing dozens of times a day and my nose won't stop running.
He estado estornudando decenas de veces al día y no dejo de moquear.
I sneeze every morning as soon as I wake up, then it stops.
Estornudo todas las mañanas apenas me despierto, y luego se detiene.
The sneezing gets much worse when I'm outside during pollen season.
Los estornudos empeoran mucho cuando estoy afuera durante la temporada de polen.
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
R06 Abnormalities of breathingRelated terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026