Frequency Of Yawning

What Causes Frequent Yawning?

Frequent yawning can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'minor' to 'critical'.  Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.

Diagnose your symptoms now!
  • see your health summarized and in detail
  • have a doctor review your case (optional)
  • learn what you should be doing right now

Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms.  In order to diagnose frequent yawning, we could:

  • Research the topic
  • Find a doctor with the time
  • Use a diagnostic computer system.
The process is the same, whichever method is used.

Step 1: List all Possible Causes

We begin by identifying the disease conditions which have "frequent yawning" as a symptom.  Here are two possibilities:
  • Schizophrenia
  • Heart Disease

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

We then identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:
history of birth control pill use
heart attack(s) in father
high uric acid level
rapid pulse rate
major unexplained weight loss
shortness of breath when at rest
hiccups
long-term low-carb dieting
reduced sense of smell
long-term hypertension
heaviness of the legs
diagonal creases on earlobes
... and more than 20 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of frequent yawning:
Cause Probability Status
Heart Disease 90% Confirm
Schizophrenia 57% Possible
* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

In the Sleep-Related Symptoms section of the questionnaire, The Analyst™ will ask the following question about frequency of yawning:
Roughly how often do you yawn, on average?
Possible responses:
→ Never / a few times per year perhaps
→ I'd say less than average
→ Average / a few times per day / don't know
→ Many times during the day
→ Several times every hour
Based on your response to this question, which may indicate low frequency of yawning, normal frequency of yawning or high frequency of yawning, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:
Coronary Disease / Heart Attack

Excessive yawning can be caused by a vasovagal reaction and may indicate a heart problem.

Schizophrenia

It has been observed that schizophrenic patients tend not to yawn often and, conversely, that persons who yawn a lot tend not to have schizophrenia.

... and also rule out issues such as:
Concerned or curious about your health?  Try The Analyst™
Symptom Entry
Symptom Entry
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Suggestions
Suggestions
LifeMeter
LifeMeter®
Full Explanations
Explanations
Optional Doctor Review
Review (optional)
We use cookies for traffic analysis, advertising, and to provide the best user experience