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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Inability to Yawn
Answered by
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis.
Inability to Yawn
by the_amphibian, Sep 03, 2004 12:00AM
I'm having difficulty yawning. I feel like yawning but I can't follow through with it. I'm on Advair, Albuterol, Singulair and Nasonex. I'm also coughing a lot, with difficulty taking deep breaths, and pain in left side of back. It's affecting my ability to sleep, my peace of mind. I am feeling some shortness of breath, and clearing my throat a lot too. I have a recent history of dizziness and lightheadedness that occured before this episode. Chest X-rays show lungs clear, doctors can't hear a problem in my chest, blood tests for hormones, anemia, blood sugar... fine... What could possibly create this inability to yawn and feeling of being short of breath? This has been going on for at least a month. I'm quite frightened. Could this all be created by a stressful environment? Should I seek more advice re. my asthma? Thanks in advance.
Karen
Karen
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Sep 10, 2004 12:00AM
, Sep 10, 2004 12:00AM
If your asthma is not well controlled it could be causing the symptoms that you have described. It is also possible that postnasal drip is making your asthma worse as well as causing the symptoms that you have described. You will need to check with your doctor to know for sure what is causing your symptoms. Only after a thorough examination would it be possible to say a stressful environment has created all of this.
Postnasal drip is drainage from the nose and sinuses dripping down the back of the throat. There could be several reasons for this drainage. One reason is an allergy. A second reason is a non-allergic, non-infectious inflammation in the sinuses that can linger after a cold. A third reason is chronic sinusitis. Postnasal drip can cause breathing difficulty as a result of irritation of the throat and lungs. You may experience the postnasal drip as a constant feeling of mucus at the back of your throat. Typically this is worse at night when you lay down to sleep. Generally this irritation feels the worst when you wake up and gets better as the day goes on.
The fat content in dairy products can thicken mucus. Generally eating dairy products with less fat content is helpful. Drinking plenty of water will help to thin the mucus so that it moves more easily. As long as you are not on a fluid restriction you should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine non-alcoholic fluid daily. Clearing your throat can irritate your throat and make it sore. When you feel the need to clear your throat sip some water to clear the mucus.
An antihistamine can dry up the postnasal drip. However, it may make the mucus thicker and more difficult to move. A decongestant like Sudafed® (pseudoephedrine) can thin the postnasal drip and decrease the swelling so it drains easier. A combination antihistamine-decongestant will do both. Check with your doctor to see which would help you more. Often an antihistamine and decongestant are taken only when the postnasal drip gets bad. It may be more helpful to take the antihistamine and decongestant on a regular basis.
A nasal wash helps remove mucus and germs from your nose and sinuses. This can temporarily decrease the postnasal drip and lessen breathing difficulty. It is most helpful when done daily before using any nasal spray. A prescription nasal steroid spray decreases mucus production by decreasing the inflammation of the nose and sinuses. This may prevent the postnasal drip and breathing difficulty. A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms. It may require several weeks of routine use to become effective. Sometimes it takes the antihistamine, the decongestant, and the nasal wash followed by the nasal steroid spray ALL used routinely to keep the postnasal drip from bothering you. Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique. Share this information with your doctor to see if you would benefit from this daily treatment.
Diaphragmatic breathing can help you move more air in and out of your lungs. This is the most efficient way to breathe and may improve your shortness of breath and inability to yawn. Learning this technique will help you to breathe slowly, regularly, gently, and smoothly all of the time. Here are the instructions:
· Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose.
· While you breathe in, count 1, 2 and push your stomach out.
· Place your hand on your stomach so you can feel your stomach going out. This promotes the use of your diaphragm and your lower respiratory muscles.
· Breathe out slowly and deeply through your mouth. Imagine that you are breathing out through a straw by “pursing” your lips.
· While you slowly breathe out all the way, count 1, 2, 3, 4 and let your stomach relax. You can feel your stomach going in with your hand.
You often can get help with this type of breathing by taking an introductory yoga class or checking out a videotape on yoga that focuses on breathing and relaxation.
Postnasal drip is drainage from the nose and sinuses dripping down the back of the throat. There could be several reasons for this drainage. One reason is an allergy. A second reason is a non-allergic, non-infectious inflammation in the sinuses that can linger after a cold. A third reason is chronic sinusitis. Postnasal drip can cause breathing difficulty as a result of irritation of the throat and lungs. You may experience the postnasal drip as a constant feeling of mucus at the back of your throat. Typically this is worse at night when you lay down to sleep. Generally this irritation feels the worst when you wake up and gets better as the day goes on.
The fat content in dairy products can thicken mucus. Generally eating dairy products with less fat content is helpful. Drinking plenty of water will help to thin the mucus so that it moves more easily. As long as you are not on a fluid restriction you should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine non-alcoholic fluid daily. Clearing your throat can irritate your throat and make it sore. When you feel the need to clear your throat sip some water to clear the mucus.
An antihistamine can dry up the postnasal drip. However, it may make the mucus thicker and more difficult to move. A decongestant like Sudafed® (pseudoephedrine) can thin the postnasal drip and decrease the swelling so it drains easier. A combination antihistamine-decongestant will do both. Check with your doctor to see which would help you more. Often an antihistamine and decongestant are taken only when the postnasal drip gets bad. It may be more helpful to take the antihistamine and decongestant on a regular basis.
A nasal wash helps remove mucus and germs from your nose and sinuses. This can temporarily decrease the postnasal drip and lessen breathing difficulty. It is most helpful when done daily before using any nasal spray. A prescription nasal steroid spray decreases mucus production by decreasing the inflammation of the nose and sinuses. This may prevent the postnasal drip and breathing difficulty. A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms. It may require several weeks of routine use to become effective. Sometimes it takes the antihistamine, the decongestant, and the nasal wash followed by the nasal steroid spray ALL used routinely to keep the postnasal drip from bothering you. Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique. Share this information with your doctor to see if you would benefit from this daily treatment.
Diaphragmatic breathing can help you move more air in and out of your lungs. This is the most efficient way to breathe and may improve your shortness of breath and inability to yawn. Learning this technique will help you to breathe slowly, regularly, gently, and smoothly all of the time. Here are the instructions:
· Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose.
· While you breathe in, count 1, 2 and push your stomach out.
· Place your hand on your stomach so you can feel your stomach going out. This promotes the use of your diaphragm and your lower respiratory muscles.
· Breathe out slowly and deeply through your mouth. Imagine that you are breathing out through a straw by “pursing” your lips.
· While you slowly breathe out all the way, count 1, 2, 3, 4 and let your stomach relax. You can feel your stomach going in with your hand.
You often can get help with this type of breathing by taking an introductory yoga class or checking out a videotape on yoga that focuses on breathing and relaxation.
