You'll probably think twice about holding back a sneeze after reading this story.
A British man literally blew a hole in his throat when he attempted to do exactly that, and now requires a feeding tube.
Apparently this guy pinched his nose and kept his mouth closed during a "forceful" sneeze, and told doctors that he immediately felt a popping sensation in his neck. He didn't notice any problems at first, but felt pain within a couple of hours, and experienced difficulty swallowing. He reportedly spent two weeks in the hospital.
Luckily the story has a happy ending -- the patient made a full recovery, and was advised to avoid plugging his nose while sneezing in the future.
So, as we're right in the middle of cold & flu season, just tell your loved ones that if they have to sneeze, let it go. It's not worth a hole in your throat.