Can´t yawn properly
 

When I try to yawn its feels like I can´t finish it. I just open my mouth and gasp for air, but don´t get past the point of satisfactory I normally would have after a yawn. Does anyone else feel this, and is it related to PCS/TBI? I am now a year into my PCS.

The literature says yawns are complex. Failure to complete or feel the completion of a yawn can relate to some PCS symptoms. It can relate to anxiety issues, anhedonia, and others.

What is your concern ?

In general my biggest concern is if I ever will come out of my PCS. When it comes to yawning its just uncomfortable not to be able to complete a yawn. I guess also I´m a littel concerned if I´m getting enough oxygen when failing to yawn. I only recently got aware of the yawning problem, so Im not really sure when it started, but I know I´ve never experienced this before my concussion.

I have this problem of incomplete yawns since my childhood. It feels like I am struggling to complete a yawn and try to make it more satisfying and complete by taking in more air but it just doesn't happen. Mine is not connected to PCS but its anxiety related perhaps. The more I become panicky while making it a more satisfying yawn the more I become anxious and the more I feel like completing my yawn and yawning becomes more frequent. It's a vicious cycle. Try to divert your mind in my opinion and not think about it. Consult a lung doc and explain him the situation. Good luck

are your jaw and neck muscles tight? That might restrict your ability to yawn.

Thanks for the input. Yes my neck muscles are really tight. They where before my concussion and now they are even tighter. I have especially a tightness going up from my neck and up behind my right ear. I also have a band of tigthness in my back head. I went to a physio for treatment, but it didnt help much so he pretty much gave up on me and told me there wasnt much else he could do. I now have been receiving massages which seems to have a positive effect, at least for a while, but it all comes back after a day or two.

I had this for a long time, just couldn't yawn properly like you l couldn't complete it. Really weird. It's resolved itself now, but it's taken over a year.

The sense of a completed yawn is entirely different that getting oxygen from a yawn. Anhedonia as related to yawning means the pleasure response that comes from a yawn does not happen. To explain it in another way, a normal yawn finishes with something similar to a very minor and mild after-orgasm like sensation. Sort of a release or coming down. This is a neurological function, not a breathing function.

troublehead, If you have tense muscles behind your ear, that often signifies a subtle upper neck injury. Some gentle chiropractic or physical therapy to help C-1 and C-2 find proper alignment is often very helpful. Read the links at the bottom of the Vitamins sticky up top. It mentions upper cervical chiro.

I had this problem but it was a dislocated jaw. It took a while to resolve itself. You might want it checked out by a doctor, preferably an ENT specialist.

Mine was resolved after chiro treatment and some cranial work - release was instant and able to complete a yawn thereafter - no more clicking either. Scan showed misalignment of C2.
Best of,