Yawning Health Dictionary

Yawning: From 2 Different Sources


An involuntary opening of the mouth, which is accompanied by marked dilatation of the pharynx, a characteristic distortion of the face and usually stretching of the limbs. The cause and function of yawning are quite obscure. It is classically regarded as a sign of drowsiness or boredom, but it it may be the result of raised concentrations of CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) in the blood – the physiological aim being to cut the amount of CO2 and raise the level of oxygen in the blood.
Health Source: Medical Dictionary
Author: Health Dictionary
n. a reflex action in which the mouth is opened wide and air is drawn into the lungs then slowly released. It is triggered by drowsiness, fatigue, or boredom.
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Eustachian Tubes

The passages, one on each side, leading from the throat to the middle ear. Each is about 38 mm (1••• inches) long and is large at either end, though at its narrowest part it only admits a ?ne probe. The tubes open widely in the act of swallowing or yawning. The opening into the throat is situated just behind the lower part of the nose, so that a catheter can be passed through the corresponding nostril into the tube for in?ation of the middle ear. (See also EAR; NOSE.)... eustachian tubes

Acidosis

A general term for a number of conditions arising from an abnormal breakdown of fats with rapid consumption of carbohydrates. Diabetic, oxybutyric acids and other allied bodies appear in the urine. Diagnosis may be confirmed by a smell of acetone on the breath.

Causes. Diet too rich in fats, inability to digest fats. May be associated with diabetes, starvation wasting diseases and liverish attacks; when followed by coma, situation is serious.

Symptoms. Physical weakness, pallor, lethargy, acid stools, constant yawning, constipation, diarrhoea – in severe cases, jaundice. A liver tonic would be an ingredient of a prescription (Barberry, Balmony, Dandelion, Mulberry, Wahoo).

A reduced alkalinity of the blood allows acidosis to take over. Symptoms of diabetic coma when due to salt deficiency profoundly affects the chemistry of the blood.

Alternatives. Teas: Agrimony, Balm (lemon), Bogbean, Boldo, Centuary, Chamomile, Cleavers, Dandelion, Fumitory, Hyssop, Meadowsweet, Motherwort, Wormwood.

Tea. Formula: equal parts, Balm, Chamomile and Dandelion. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water, infuse 10 minutes; dose – 1 cup thrice daily.

Tablets/capsules. Seaweed and Sarsaparilla, Blue Flag, Goldenseal, Wild Yam, Yellow Dock.

Potter’s Acidosis tablets: Anise oil, Caraway oil, Cinnamon, Meadowsweet, Rhubarb, Medicinal Charcoal.

Formula. Equal parts: Dandelion, Blue Flag, Meadowsweet. Mix. Dose: Powders: 500mg; Liquid extracts: 30-60 drops; Tinctures: 1-2 teaspoons thrice daily.

Goldenseal tincture: 1-2ml thrice daily.

Diet. Vigorous cutback in food-fats, especially dairy products. Readily assimilable form of carbohydrate (honey), replenishing stores in the liver without working that organ too hard. Restore body chemistry. Kelp instead of salt. Powdered skimmed milk, yoghurt, plantmilk made from Soya bean. Pectin foods: raw apples help solidify the stool. Bananas, carrots, carob flour products. Vitamin B complex, B6, Folic ac., Niacin, Pantothenic acid. See: CAROB BEAN. ... acidosis

Fainting

Cardiac or vasomotor syncope. A temporary arrest of flow of blood through the brain leading to loss of consciousness. (a) Due to slowing of the heart beat by temporary emotional experience, pain, low blood pressure, blood loss, fluid loss, drug effects. (b) Heart-shock, heart-block or sudden distress.

In the elderly fainting can be associated with adverse drug reactions.

Symptoms. Dilated pupils, pallor, sweating, yawning.

Treatment. Towards recovery: cup of Chamomile tea. Life Drops in tea. Elevation of legs to restore circulation.

Topical. Whiff of Camphor or oil of Rosemary to the nose. Smelling salts. Sponge-down with Cider Vinegar (1) and water (20). Wipe face with Witch Hazel, distilled extract.

General. Remove tight clothing about the neck. Dash water in face. Recovery in ‘heart-cases’ should be followed by investigation in a cardiac care unit. ... fainting

Hiatus Hernia

The gullet (oesophagus) passes through an opening in the diaphragm which separates the chest from the abdomen. A hiatus hernia results when part of the upper stomach bulges through the opening. May be congenital or acquired. There is a relationship between air-swallowing and hiatus hernia.

Symptoms: distension, regurgitation, belching, pain, heart-burn worse lying down or when stooping, food may ‘stick in the gullet’, worse when straining at stool.

Alternatives. Teas. Wood Betony. (Dr John Clarke) To prevent reflux: Hops, Black Horehound, Meadowsweet. Day-starter: Chamomile tea.

Tablets. Slippery Elm. Chew 3-5 tablets when necessary. Vegetable Charcoal; Papaya: 2 before meals. Fennel. Quarter of a teaspoon crushed seeds in cup boiling water.

Goldenseal, Liquid Extract. 5 drops in water, thrice daily.

Slippery Elm gruel.

Externally. Cold water packs to upper abdomen.

Diet. Cup fresh Carrot juice before each meal. Potato water. Avoid rich fatty foods. No solid foods at bedtime.

Supplementation. Vitamin B-complex (high formula). 1 Dolomite tablet at meals. Vitamin E 400iu daily to oxygenate the blood.

Reduction of weight favourably affects a sliding hiatus hernia. Relief from sleeping on left side is supported. Practice yawning. Relaxation techniques. ... hiatus hernia

Jaw, Dislocated

Displacement of the lower jaw from one or both temporomandibular joints.

A dislocated jaw is usually due either to a blow or to yawning.

There is pain in front of the ear on the affected side or sides, and the jaw projects forwards.

The mouth cannot be fully closed, making eating and speaking difficult.

Dislocation tends to recur.

Surgery may be carried out to stabilize the joint but is often unsuccessful.... jaw, dislocated

Barbiturism

n. addiction to drugs of the barbiturate group. Signs of intoxication include confusion, slurring of speech, yawning, sleepiness, loss of memory, loss of balance, and reduction in muscular reflexes. Withdrawal of the drugs must be undertaken slowly, over 1–3 weeks, to avoid the withdrawal symptoms of tremors and convulsions, which can prove fatal.... barbiturism

Neuralgia, Facial

 Trigeminal Neuralgia. Severe lancing pain along one or more branches of the fifth cranial nerve.

Causes include: dental problems, ill-fitting dentures, laughing, yawning, bad teeth.

Symptoms: nervous exhaustion, contracted pupils, flushed face.

Alternatives. Black Cohosh, Cactus, Celery seed, Bogbean, Chamomile, Lady’s Slipper, Ginseng, Hops, Jamaica Dogwood, White Willow, Wild Lettuce, Skullcap, St John’s Wort, Valerian.

Tea. Combine equal parts: Chamomile, Hops, Skullcap. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-10 minutes. 1 cup freely.

Decoction. Combine: Rosemary 2; Ladyslipper 1; Jamaica Dogwood 1.1 heaped teaspoon to each cup water gently simmered 20 minutes. Half-1 cup every 2-3 hours.

Tablets. Passion flower. Ginseng. St John’s Wort, White Willow.

Formula. Equal parts: Jamaica Dogwood, Wild Lettuce, Valerian. Dose: Liquid extracts: 1 teaspoon. Tinctures: 2 teaspoons. Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon). Thrice daily.

Cayenne pepper (Capsicum). Frequently successful.

Practitioner. Tincture Gelsemium BPC (1973). Dose: 0.3ml (5 drops).

Topical. Poultice: Chamomile, Hops, Linseed or Bran. Acute cases (cold), chronic cases (hot). Grated or bruised Horseradish root. Evening Primrose oil. Hot cider vinegar. Tincture Arnica or Hypericum. Aromatherapy. 2 drops each: Juniper, Lavender, Chamomile to 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Light massage. Diet, and supplements. Same as for general neuralgia. Australian researchers found that hot curries and spices actually trigger the trigeminal nerve causing a burning sensation. ... neuralgia, facial

Eustachian Tube

The passage that runs from the middle ear into the back of the nose, just above the soft palate. The tube acts as a drainage channel from the middle ear and maintains hearing by opening periodically to regulate air pressure. The lower end of the tube opens during swallowing and yawning, allowing air to flow up to the middle ear, equalizing the air pressure on both sides of the eardrum.

When a viral infection such as a cold causes blockage of the eustachian tube, equalization cannot occur, resulting in severe pain and temporary impairment of hearing. A person with a blocked eustachian tube who is subjected to rapid pressure changes may suffer from barotrauma. Glue ear or chronic otitis media may occur if the tube is blocked, preventing adequate drainage from the middle ear. These conditions, which often result in partial hearing loss are more common in children. This is partly because their adenoids are larger and more likely to cause a blockage if they become infected and partly because children’s eustachhian tubes are shorter than those of adults.... eustachian tube

Withdrawal Syndrome

Unpleasant mental and physical symptoms experienced when a person stops using a drug on which he or she is dependent (see drug dependence). Withdrawal syndrome most commonly occurs in those with alcohol dependence or dependence on opioids, in smokers, and in people addicted to tranquillizers, amfetamines, cocaine, marijuana, and caffeine.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms start 6–8 hours after cessation of intake and may last up to 7 days. They include trembling of the hands, nausea, vomiting, sweating, cramps, anxiety, and, sometimes, seizures. (See also confusion, delirium tremens, and hallucinations.)

Opioid withdrawal symptoms start after 8–12 hours and may last for 7–10 days. Symptoms include restlessness, sweating, runny eyes and nose, yawning, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, dilated pupils, loss of appetite, irritability, weakness, tremor, and depression.

Withdrawal symptoms from barbiturate drugs and meprobamate start after 12–24 hours, beginning with tremor, anxiety, restlessness, and weakness, sometimes followed by delirium, hallucinations, and, occasionally, seizures. A period of prolonged sleep occurs 3–8 days after onset. Withdrawal from benzodiazepine drugs may begin much more slowly and can be life-threatening.

Withdrawal symptoms from nicotine develop gradually over 24–48 hours and include irritability, concentration problems, frustration, headaches, and anxiety. Discontinuation of cocaine or amfetamines results in extreme tiredness, lethargy, and dizziness. Cocaine withdrawal may also lead to tremor, severe depression, and sweating.

Withdrawal symptoms from marijuana include tremor, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, sweating, irritability, and sleep problems. Caffeine withdrawal may lead to tiredness, headaches, and irritability.

Severe withdrawal syndromes require medical treatment.

Symptoms may be suppressed by giving the patient small quantities of the drug he or she had been taking.

More commonly, a substitute drug is given, such as methadone for opioid drugs or diazepam for alcohol.

The dose of the drug is then gradually reduced.... withdrawal syndrome

Xylometazoline

A decongestant drug used in the form of a spray or drops to relieve nasal congestion caused by a common cold, sinusitis, or hay fever (see rhinitis, allergic). Xylometazoline is also used as an ingredient of eye-drops in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis.

Excessive use of xylometazoline may cause headache, palpitations, or drowsiness. Long-term use of the drug may cause nasal congestion to worsen when treatment is stopped.

yawning An involuntary act, or reflex action, usually associated with drowsiness or boredom. The mouth is opened wide and a slow, deep breath is taken through it in order to draw air into the lungs. The air is then slowly released. Yawning is accompanied by a momentary increase in the heart-rate, and, in many cases, watering of the eyes.

The purpose of yawning is unknown, but one theory suggests it is triggered by raised levels of carbon dioxide in the blood; thus, its purpose could be to reduce the level of carbon dioxide and increase that of oxygen in the blood.... xylometazoline

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

(NAS) symptoms and signs exhibited by a newborn baby (neonate) due to drug withdrawal (see dependence). This results when the fetus has been exposed to addictive drugs through maternal substance abuse or misuse. Symptoms tend to occur in the first few days of life (in the case of methadone, which is a long-acting opioid, symptom onset may be delayed). They include tremors and jerking, high-pitched crying, sneezing, sucking of fists, feeding difficulties, shortened periods of sleep between feeds, rapid breathing, sweating, loose stools, nasal stuffiness, and frequent yawning. Treatment includes swaddling or snugly wrapping in a blanket, as babies with NAS are often difficult to comfort. Other nonpharmacological measures include frequent small feeds using high-calorie formula and intravenous fluids if babies become dehydrated. Drug therapy may be used for seizures and withdrawal symptoms.... neonatal abstinence syndrome



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