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What You Call it When You Sneeze in the Sun. GeSUNdheit!

Is there a term for the need to sneeze when you step out into the sun? There are several, including the photic sneeze reflex, solar sneeze reflex, the Peroutka sneeze, and Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst Syndrome, also known as ACHOO. Because exposure to sudden, bright light can be sternutatory, or cause sneezing, this phenomenon is also called pepper on the sun. If you have a hard time sneezing, you have arrested sternuation, from Latin sternuere, meaning “to sneeze.” The Old English word for “sneeze” is fneora. This is part of a complete episode.

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