The Treatment of Persistent Yawning with Acupuncture

Persistent and excessive yawning (greater than 1 to 4 yawns/minute) is a pathological process associated with a variety of conditions including central nervous system disorders, opiate withdrawal and drug side effects. This report describes a patient with a brain tumour who presented with persistent excessive yawning. She was successfully treated with medical acupuncture. A possible mechanism involving the autonomic nervous system is discussed.