A hospital examination revealed a 2mm perforation in his trachea.
Doctors have issued a warning after a man punctured his throat while trying to stop himself from sneezing.
The patient, who is in his 30s, was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee complaining of severe pain after pinching his nose and mouth to suppress a sneeze.
Scans revealed he had suffered a 2mm laceration to his windpipe.
Doctors at the University of Dundee said closing both the mouth and nose when sneezing can increase pressure in the upper airways by around 20 times.
This can also cause injuries such as ruptured eardrums, aneurysms, and even broken ribs.
Doctors examined the patient and found that after touching his neck, he heard crackling sounds and was unable to control his movements.
The unnamed man who was driving when he sneezed had a history of allergies and throat irritation.
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Doctors advise against suppressing a sneeze by covering your nose and closing your mouth at the same time.
The patient did not require surgical treatment and was admitted for observation.
He was discharged from the hospital and given painkillers and hay fever medication. Doctors also advised avoiding strenuous physical activity for two weeks.
A scan five weeks later showed that the laceration had healed.
The report's lead author, Dr Lasaz Misilofs, told BBC Scotland News that sneezes should be allowed to pass as they are the body's natural defense mechanism to expel irritants from the nasal passages. .
“People should gently cover their faces with their hands or the inside of their elbows to avoid spreading viruses, saliva, mucus and other irritants to those around them,” he said.
“Keeping your nasal passages open allows the sneeze to escape even if choking doesn't work.”
“I personally used a different technique of pressing my thumb on the upper lip just below the nose without blocking the nasal passages for a few seconds. This worked for me.”
Sudden throat lacerations, medically known as “spontaneous tracheal perforation,” are rare and potentially life-threatening.
Only a few cases have been reported, including one in 2018 when a man in Leicester slit his throat while trying to hold back a sneeze.
