Frequent Yawning: a Sign of ALS?

Hi all, Just wondering if any of you yawn frequently? Just came across something when looking up "hyperexcitability" that says frequent yawning is a sign of ALS. I used to yawn constantly as I exercised in the morning. It has been at least a year since I noticed this ALL the time but is scared the *beep* out of me again. I thought it was my just trying to regulate my temperature or get more oxygen in but now I wonder. Same article listed widespread twitching as an EARLY sign of ALS. Ugh. Also, have noticed for months that I am not relaxed when I honk I am and should be such as when getting a massage. The therapist seems to notice it and pushes on my shoulders and then I am able to consciously relax but it takes a few tries. Myotonia is the word for "slow to relax." I thought it was from this long time stress I had. The twitching following having muscles tensed in flight or fight so long. I am interested in This term "hyperexcitability" because I think I have it. Swelling of the limbs can be a sign of neuromuscular hyperexcitability or peripheral nerve hyperexcitability as seen in Isaacs syndrome. Are those the same thing? I have it in my left arm making my wrists look so skinny. I showed it o my neuro and he really didn't say anything, only that it is not atrophy. This swelling can also rarely be a sign of neurogenic disease from what I've read. Anyway, all this has amped up my fears again. I had a clean EMG 2 months ago when 2 months in. Clean neuro exam 4 months in. Wondering if I should get another EMG. Only had one am done with three needles in my most symptomatic limb.

I have had an increase in yawning and sighing. I noticed this at one point, but have since forgotten about it.

Holy crap, fellows, I have no idea why people in ALS should yawn (maybe in respiratory onset only when the diaphragm is getting die) but WE definitely yawn becasue of hyperventilation. Myotonia means that person has increased tonus of the muscles, which is not exacltly slow relaxation (not only at least), but yes person with chronic high adrenaline (like most of us) may really be unable to relax becasue we always expect a therat on physical level.Please please stop figure out deadly reasons unless your neurologist did not told you about any deficiete after exam. BFS includes chronic stress reaction, which are increased muscle reactivity and alertness, hyperventilation etc.

Hi FernFinnegan,please don't worry about this.So, now it's yawning?! I really wonder what Dr. Google will come up with next as an "early symptom of **S": Sneezing in winter? Headache after a party? Feeling tired after 12 hours of working?

Yeah I agree with above posters. I think everyone should be mindful of what they post on here. I know you don't mean it, and no one wants to spread anxiety because we all suffer from it, but when we post stuff like this, and a new BFS'r reads it, they will FREAK! For example, they'll probably start yawning all the time because they're thinking of it, and next thing you know, they think they have bulbar ALS for the next 8 months.Yawning is indicative of anxiety. When we're anxious our bodies start to take in huge amount of air, through sighing & yawning, which leads to lightheadedness. It's best to start doing some breathing exercises right after you work out, focus on inhaling a lot of air into your diaphragm, and slowly releasing it.Something that helps me when I meditate is, put one hand on your tummy and the other on your chest, and take deep breaths while sitting upright next to a wall. Your hand on your chest shouldn't move much but your tummy should. Breath through your nose, do this for 10,20, even 30 minutes a day, and it'll really improve your symptoms.Us BFS'rs have to remember, the chances of get ALS are really minimal, especially for young women & men. Wasting our youth away on this anxiety will make us regret it later! Learn to have faith in your body. Something that really got to me was why are you worried about ALS? Why aren't you worried about having a heart attack today and dying? Because the likelihood of that is far greater.I wish you the best! Work on that anxiety! ) ) ) ) )

I hadn't thought of that and I hate it when people do that. I am sorry if I caused fear in anyone. I think it is interesting that it IS our there on the internet, yet no one on this forum has mentioned it before. I am sure I am not the only one who has seen it with all the "research" we have all done - but we select things that pertain to us and ignore the things that don't. So, good news is seems frequent compulsive yawning is NOT a part of BFS! Yawning is also a contagious thing and if someone thinks about yawning, it will often happen. If you yawned in one place before, you might be likely to yawn there again...It is an interesting phenomenon. I remember looking up yawning when it was happening well over a year ago if not more, and seeing it was a sign of ALS and being like "hmmm, well I know I don't have that disease..." And now here I am with all kinds of related fears and perceived symptoms! My own fears have been worse the past week because of this, much stress, and realizing I have no exercise intolerance and then I wonder, really BFS? Bull freaking sheiss? Of course that is irrational as well. If I had ALS it would be hard to exercise at all.My rational mind knows the yawning is likely unrelated. I have not noticed it in over a year where it was very apparent and people I would see at the gym would comment on it and tease me about it. The second article I saw on this said it is rarely a first symptom and more likely in advanced disease. Most people yawn about 10 times per day. Normal. I have only yawned once today. I assume my yawning would increase and not decrease, so I think it is unrelated, but funny how the mind can relate all these things when in such a state.I am working on my anxiety, very hard. In fact, I just returned from my therapist who has had a number of BFS ers in his office in recent years. He told me I need to stay off the internet entirely, including this site (he said while trying to suppress a yawn). I promised I would. So I may be silent for a long time now. I told him I was toying with making an appointment at Mayo at some time in the future for a second opinion. He challenged me to consider that appointment at least a year away from my last. I can say for certain that compared to the anxiety the alsforum caused, this site is a pure rush of relief. While some posts (perhaps like this one, my own thread) it make me uncomfortable, I am sometimes glad the things are out there because without honesty and transparency, this board is nothing. Part of me wishes for censorship and sugar-coating, but anyone can see right through that. Wish you all good health and long lives!!XX

Yawning fits can be a prodrone of migraine aura. I have had yawning fits that go on for a few hours, not like a yawn a minute but one right after the other until your jaw is sore and tears run down face. I too read about it as an early UMN sign, but since I have had these yawning fits for nearly 20 years I àm not worried it is an early sign of anything. The one strange thing about my yawning is that it gets rid of the nausea I feel before it starts, and seems to leave me feeling relaxed if not sore. I have had vasoconstriction and dilation caught on MRA/MRI so I am classic migraine aura. Strange thing I NEVER get headache with it just loss of sight. Etc. Migraine aura is a feature of transient cortical hyperexcitabilityi, sometimes wonder if that causes my fasciculations.. Probably my EXCESSIVE coffee doesn,t help. Though dont think that would be enough to give fp on emg. Anyway I digress, don,t worry about yawning, it is also a sign of hyperventilation, and of the opposite hypoventilating (during asthma attack you blow off excessive carbon dioxide), yawning can cool the brain, and also be a sign you ate bored. Animals yawn as a social thing to show off their big sharp teeth,especially when feeling anxious and under threat. .....ah my cat is yawning now perhaps I should book her for an EMG......sorry that wasnt funny.take careHelen.

LostLamb,optical migrines (with a loss of sight or flashing scotomas) are rarely painful. my daughter has them, clearly related to her anxiety level, and she has very mild pain if ever but may be really halfblind during the attack.

GlowGreen,my cat surely deserves... bloody blacky beast with a fangs like knives and teeth like adder's! and meowing in the middle of the night waking me up!

Gracely: just to adress your question about MND and yawning - this results from pseudobulbar palsy when uncontrollable yawning occurs, it is not uncommon for patients to dislocate their jaw. The basic principle is decreased inhibition of impulses that would be suppressed normally and would not provoke yawning.Leaflea, I had this issue as well and believe me, it has nothing to do with ALS. Can be hyperventilation (very likely) or just being to focused on that, which is common.

You need to take another approach and google yawning while exercising. You'll see it's very common. But, a better approach is not to google at all. Of course, I just googled that for you

yeee Twitchy Doc thanks but i think at that time people already have also a hell of other troubles PLUS really uncontrolalble yawning...By the way I yawn when I start my vocal lessons every time now becasue finally I GOT the concept of vocal support and it causes hyperventilation becasue I take too much breath every time ))

MWagner my cat never exercises,in fact none of them do. Live in very old victorian house, holes everywhere sometimes mouse gets in and they just open a single eye, blink a few times and well thats about it. Yuliaser your black beast sounds the business. My cats are huge Maine coons and related to Mrs Norris from harry potter films, so they think they are superstars. My girl cat does sit along my arm when it twitches and the grey ghost boy on my shoulder when it is popping. Would love to say it is out of love, rubbish I think I just generate heat there with all the movements.GlowGreen I like dogs also, my dog likes to escape and always find her by the trail of empty bins leads right to herPerhaps I should do a homemade EMG on cat. All I need is some needles, some wire and an old TV , and Twitchydoc could interpret the findings. Sorry blabbing on.

That article is hogwash. Be careful where you read your information.