Valsalva maneuver

[ val-sal-vuh ]

noun

1. a forced expiratory effort against a closed glottis that decreases intrathoracic pressure, hampering venous return to the heart, and that can be used to inflate the Eustachian tubes and adjust pressure in the middle ear.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Valsalva maneuver¹

Named after Antonio M. Valsalva (1666–1723), Italian anatomist who devised the maneuver

Example Sentences

Adalja also recommended the Valsalva maneuver — holding your nose and blowing out — as well as using saline spray to ensure your passages are as clear of mucus as possible before flying.

From Washington Post

The purpose of the Valsalva maneuver is to accentuate the blood going from the right atrium to the left atrium by raising the pressure in the right side of the heart.

From Washington Post

Both are performed in conjunction with a Valsalva maneuver, in which the patient blows into a small tube with resistance, “much like trying to blow up a balloon that is hard to blow up,” Thompson says.

From Washington Post

Another option is to do something called the Valsalva maneuver, where you pinch your nostrils shut, gulp a mouthful of air and gently blow the air out of your nose—an action you may have to repeat several times during a descent.

From Time

And a leading cause of these heart attacks is the Valsalva maneuver — forcefully attempting to exhale against a closed glottis or windpipe, often before lifting something heavy.

From New York Times