Attempting to contain a sneeze could be a recipe for disaster.

A 34-year-old patient visited a hospital in the United Kingdom complaining of an extremely sore throat and a dramatic voice change after attempting to suppress a sneeze by pinching his nose and closing his mouth. He told doctors he felt a popping sensation in his neck and noticed immediate swelling after trying to contain the sneeze.

When doctors examined him, they could hear crackling sounds—known as crepitus in medical pa