About Excessive Yawning
Excessive yawning is defined as experiencing 1 to 4 yawns per minute over an extended period of time. Most doctors believe that yawning is triggered by a low level of oxygen in the blood. Yawning causes the blood oxygen level to raise, improving alertness and stamina. Yawning is usually associated with being tired or bored, but it is usually due to lack of oxygen. However, frequent yawning does not necessarily mean your blood oxygen level is low. Excessive yawning is the symptom of several health disorders, so if it is something you experience on a regular basis, talk you your doctor.
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Significance
Excessive yawning can be a symptom of several maladies, including epilepsy, progressive supranuclear palsy, brain tumors, anxiety, heart attack, encephalitis and multiple sclerosis. Excessive yawning may also be the side effect of a medication you are currently taking, including antidepressants and medications for Parkinson's Disease. Do not be alarmed if you are experiencing excessive yawning, but see a doctor promptly.
Types
If excessive yawning is your only symptom, a doctor will probably ask you to report back to him if you are experiencing any other symptoms. At this point, you may want to get as much rest as possible and be on the lookout for accompanying symptoms. Getting plenty of rest should be your first method of attack, but if the excessive yawning still continues, consider getting blood tests and possibly a CAT scan done by your doctor.
Identification
The most common maladies related to excessive yawning are sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea and even mononucleosis. Your doctor may also suggest, if you have no accompanying severe symptoms, that you are yawning frequently because you have a high sensitivity to other people yawning. The triggering of the need to yawn is usually visual and psychological, so this is not an entirely strange diagnosis. If these diagnoses are addressed and the patient is not taking any medication that may cause frequent yawning, more tests should be done in order to determine a potentially more serious cause.
Misconceptions
Excessive yawning does not necessarily mean a person is exhausted or fatigued. When you are in public situations, however, people may misconstrue your yawning symptom as being bored or tired. In order to minimize the noticeably of your frequent yawning, cover your mouth with your hand or a tissue while yawning. If excessive yawning continues, make an appointment with your doctor.
Warning
Do not allow your case of excessive yawning to go untreated if you feel it is causing you problems. Your doctor will work with you in finding your correct diagnosis. If you have any serious symptoms accompanying your excessive yawning, including migraines, fainting, numbness in the extremities or blurred vision, see a doctor immediately and request thorough testing. Throughout the process of finding a diagnosis, get plenty of rest and monitor the excessive yawning throughout the period of searching for a diagnosis.
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Why Am I Yawning a Lot?
What Defines Excessive Yawning?
If you yawn once in a while, it is nothing to worry about. Periodic and infrequent yawning is usually the cause of fatigue. If you are yawning excessively, however, it may be cause for concern. If you are yawning more than a few times per hour or it is getting in the way of your daily activities--including work, eating, sleeping or talking--you may be suffering from a health condition that is causing you to yawn. Monitor your yawning and any other symptoms to determine the cause.
Conditions With Excessive Yawning Symptoms
Causes of excessive yawning may be due to a vasovagal reaction, which is when the vagus nerve is stimulated. Sometimes there may be no reason the nerve is stimulated. Other times, the nerve may be stimulated due to a heart condition, such as a heart attack or aortic dissection. If you are on medications, yawning may be a side effect of one of these medications. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant medications, such as Prozac, for example, can cause excessive yawning and is considered to be a side effect of the medication.
When to See a Doctor
Excessive yawning can be harmless, but it can also be the cause of a dangerous underlying disorder, including heart attack and other heart problems. If you are not on antidepressant medications or other medications that list yawning as a side effect, see your doctor as soon as possible. He or she will ask you about your yawning, including the symptoms, and their duration, and any patterns regarding your yawning throughout the day. Your doctor will narrow down the symptoms to determine the underlying cause of the excessive yawning.
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