Asthmatic with a yawning problem

[rkrains]

I  am experiencing excessive yawning spells - they start off with just yawning, but after a few yawns, they will be interrupted by a choking sensation that triggers my gag reflex and after a few more yawns like this I will throw up from the gag reflex being triggered, but while throwing up, I still have the urge to yawn and I'm afraid that eventually this will make me inhale some of what I'm throwing up.

[Tammy2009]

It also could be hyperventilation syndrome or anixety symptoms.  Overbreathing would cause your body to feel like it is not getting enough air because of low ratio of carbon dioxide to oxygen in your body.  This is where the yawning (or sighing) comes in, to increase the intake of air.  

However, your lungs knows it is getting too much oxygen in, so it constricts air passages (both lower and upper) to hold onto the carbon dioxide that is present and limit the amount of oxygen coming in - hence the choking feeling.

Try to limit the yawning through slow, deep breathing - even try holding your breath for a short period of time (not to the period where you gasp at the end though).  Relax with music, yoga or something similar.  Also don't panic or get anxious during the gag reflex (hard I know) because that would increase the tendency to overbreath.

Also, check with a doctor to make sure that your egoilottis isn't inflammed or too-large which is causing an overly sensitive gag response to normal yawning.

Good luck, hope that helped.

[987931]

Thanks for your thoughts. Is there any information out there on the stale air in the lungs? Has any research been done on these techniques? Understand, I'm not dismissive if there isn't: a lot of stuff that works, well, just works. However, it's nice to know.

To others, are any other techniques for this?

[hava]

It is the lack of oxygen causing the yawning. There is stale air in the lungs. You need to do some voluntary breathing to restore the oxygen level.The following pranayam will help with the asthma and the breathing issue. When you get yawning spell, do kapalbhati  10 to 20 times.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.
Kapalbhati pranayam -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day. Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.
Anulom Vilom pranayam –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.
February 6 ,2011

[987931]

I'm interested to see the response. I was experiencing excessive yawning spells also. I also get a choking sensation (or sometimes dysphagia, but quickly 'cured' by having a sip of water). I also have very persistent coughing.

Having not been diaggnosed with asthma, I'm very interested in what others say.