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Yawning - excessive

• Overview
• Treatment

Alternative Names:

Excessive yawning

Home Care:

Follow the treatment for the underlying cause.

Call your health care provider if:

• You experience unexplained and excessive yawning.
• The yawning is associated with excessive daytime sleepiness.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

The health care provider will get your medical history and do a physical examination.

Medical history questions documenting excessive yawning in detail may include the following:

• When did the excessive yawning begin?
• How many yawns per hour or day?
• Is the yawning the same throughout the day?
• Is it worse in the morning, after lunch, or during exercise?
• Is it worse in certain areas or certain rooms?
• Does yawning interfere with normal activities?
• Is the increased yawning related to amount of sleep you get?
• Is it related to use of medications?
• Is it related to activity level?
• Is it related to boredom?
• What helps it?
• Does rest help?
• Does breathing deeply help?
• What other symptoms are also present?
• What medications are you taking?

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include sleep studies .

• Review Date: 1/18/2007
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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