How to Sneeze Quietly

Muffling the Sound

Sneeze into something. Keep a tissue or a thick handkerchief with you at all times. A tissue is portable and disposable, but a handkerchief will do a better job of muffling the sound. If you have no other choice, bury your nose into your shoulder, your arm, or the crook of your elbow. Any fabric or solid body part will help keep your sneeze quiet.

Clench your teeth and jaw to suppress the sound. Leave your mouth slightly open so that you don't build up too much pressure in your sinuses. Done correctly, this move should lessen the intensity of your sneeze. If you hold your breath at the same time, you might even be able to stop the sneeze from coming.

Cough as you sneeze. Make sure to get the timing just right. By mixing up the reflex to sneeze with the reflex to cough, you might lessen the sound and severity of each noise.

Stopping the Sneeze

Hold your breath. When you feel a sneeze coming on, inhale powerfully through both nostrils, and hold in your breath until the urge has passed. You may be able to counteract the sneeze reflex. Do not plug your nose. Holding your breath can be effective, up to a point, but plugging your nose during a sneeze can have serious health consequences. Among other disturbances of the ear and nasal passages, this can cause larynx fractures, ruptured eardrums, voice changes, bulging eyeballs, and bladder incontinence. Bear in mind that while holding a sneeze back might be effective, it also might leave you feeling somewhat stuffed-up.

Use your tongue. Press the tip of your tongue firmly into the roof of your mouth, right behind your top two front teeth. This should hit the spot where the alveolar ridge or "gum palate" reaches up to the roof of your mouth. Push as hard as you can until the urge to sneeze goes away. Done correctly, this can stop a sneeze in its tracks. This strategy is most effective if you do it the moment that you feel a sneeze coming. The longer the sneeze has to build, the harder it will be to stop.

Push your nose up. When a sneeze is coming, place your index finger beneath your nose and push up slightly. If you time it right, you might be able to suppress the sneeze. At the very least, this move should lessen the intensity of the sneeze.