# What is this yawn-induced lump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 16, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-yawn-induced-lump/229536 "2004-02-16T20:12:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fox\_Paws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/85e7bf/32.png) [@Fox\_Paws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fox_Paws)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-yawn-induced-lump/229536/1 "2004-02-16T20:12:38Z")
Occasionally when I yawn a painful lump bulges up on the underside of my chin, between my Adam’s apple and the boney point of my chin. Sometimes it will happen several times in a week, other times I can go months without it happening. I had surgery on my jaw seven years ago, and I can’t ever remember having this happen prior to that time. The basic chain of events is: 1) I have a big, gaping yawn; 2) I notice extreme pain under my chin; 3) I notice a hard, walnut-sized lump has formed under my chin (my wife says it’s not visible – she usually can’t figure out why I get a funny look on my face after yawning); 4) I try my best to relax and stop yawning; 5) 30-60 seconds later, the bump and pain subside. Occasionally the bump is barely detectable quite a while later, but it usually disappears within a couple minutes. Is this just some sort of cramp? Could it be related to my jaw surgery, or is this likely a false case of cause and effect? What, if anything, can I do to stop this from happening, or at least minimize the pain? ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-yawn-induced-lump/229536/2 "2004-02-16T20:43:45Z")
I get this too. It hurts like hell. I always took it to be a cramp.