A member asked:

Can holding in a sneeze cause a punctured lung?

4 doctors weighed in across 3 answers

Shouldn't : This shouldn't cause a punctured lung, but there are circumstances where it can. If the patient is predisposed to a spontaneous punctured lung (pneumothorax), then it might.

Answered 3/9/2013

5.3k views

Thank
Dr. Creighton Wright answered

Specializes in surgery

Not exactly: Maintaining a high pulmonary-lung pressure or an acute pressure with the sneeze could cause a prexisting bleb to rupture leading to pneumothorax. Puncture is more like a knife or ice pick than a "blowout" like a valsalva or sneeze situation.

Answered 3/20/2013

5.2k views

Thank
Dr. Ly Phan answered

Specializes in General Surgery

Yes: If you have underlying lung disease like bleb formation you can cause high back pressure back into lung tissue and blow out of ruptured these bleb causing spontaneous pneumothorax.

Answered 9/22/2016

5.2k views

Thank

Related Questions

A member asked:

I have a sharp pain in my chest when I cough or sneeze. What causes this?

5 doctors weighed in across 2 answers