Other bodily functions do not require us to set aside everything else only to focus on one specific task but in the case of sneezing we have to stop whatever we are doing no matter how important(like driving) we pause it immediately just to sneeze, why ? what is so special about it ?
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the main reason behind sneezing is to expel air/mucus from the lungs that is suspected to have foreign particles or irritants in it. and because the mucus is heavier than other body fluids it must be overpowering. also it’s a reflexive response involving the face, throat and chest muscles.
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The action has to be violent to generate enough pressure to expel whatever has lodged in your nostrils or sinus cavity.
Other actions involving the lung and core muscles are similarly violent like coughing (can crack a rib), hiccups, vomiting (can tear the inner lining of the esophagus).
I imagine you reflexively close your eyes as a defense mechanism, but you can force yourself not to do so.
Sneezing is not exactly the primary purpose of the nose; it’s a full-body defense mechanism for when you breathe in particles you’re not supposed to, like allergens. And it requires tons of different muscle groups, including your abs and chest. Instead of comparing it to other bodily functions that aren’t defense mechanisms, it makes more sense to compare it to defense mechanisms such as vomiting, which also takes a lot of bodily effort to do.
Airways are critical to our survival. While we put a lot of things into our mouths nothing except air is supposed to go up the nose. Stuff tickling in the nose is a definitive NO! so it’s a good idea to blow whatever that is out as fast as possible.
Anything in the mouth might be food, so the reaction only happens when the whole intricate process of swallowing goes wrong. The coughs from inhaling food are about as hard to suppress as a sneeze and reach impressive air flow speeds (200-500km/h)
Vomiting, diarrhea, inhaling water and a very full bladder will also demand your immediate attention.
So it’s really that your body wants very much to expel whatever it is that’s causing it distress.
Sneezing requires alot of force. Imagine sneezing, but you twist your waist sideways and hold up your arms.
You might break your own spine and rip tendons.
Actually people can damage their spine from sneezing even with all the safety controls engaged on your body.
It’s a defensive reaction taking place in one of the most vulnerable parts of the body to infection and injury. Anything irritating gets evicted, fast. The one time in my life I went from asleep to wide awake in seconds, my cat who slept beside my pillow at night, managed to insert one long whisker well up my nose.
Breathing keeps you alive. Sneezing helps breathing. In medicine, airway and breathing are the priority unless there’s a BAD bleed. It makes sense that the body will prioritize proper breathing over anything else you happen to be doing.
I’d simplify it down to sneezing being a reflex, largely of of your control.
You’d also need to pull over to (safely) react to a patellar reflex, punching, pinching, flinching, etc. Some more than others, sure, but you don’t want to be doing other things when you don’t have control over your body (when you’re responding via reflex).
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