Valsalva maneuver

(noun)

Performed by making a moderately forceful attempt to exhale against a closed airway; this is usually done by closing one's mouth and pinching one's nose shut while pressing out as if blowing up a balloon.

Related Terms

Examples of Valsalva maneuver in the following topics:

  • Heart Murmurs

    • This finding, also called Carvallo's maneuver, has been found by studies to have a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 80-88% in detecting murmurs originating in the right heart.
    • Abrupt standing or squatting may cause changes in murmur sounds, as does the valsalva maneuver, a forceful attempted exhalation against a closed airway, usually done by closing one's mouth and pinching one's nose while pressing out as if blowing up a balloon.
    • One study found the valsalva maneuver to have a sensitivity of 65% and a specificity of 96% in detecting hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM).
    • Both standing and doing the valsalva maneuver will decrease venous return and increase the loudness of the murmur while squatting will increase venous return and thus decreases the murmur.
    • This type of murmur increases with standing and the valsalva maneuver.

  • Carotid Sinus Syncope and Massage

    • Like the valsalva maneuver, it is a therapy for SVT.

  • Vagus (X) Nerve

    • This occurs commonly in cases of viral gastroenteritis , acute cholecystitis, or in response to stimuli such as the Valsalva maneuver or pain.

  • Spinal Reflexes

    • The Jendrassik maneuver is a medical maneuver wherein the patient flexes both sets of fingers into a hook-like form and interlocks those sets of fingers together (note the hands of the patient in the chair).
    • This maneuver is used often when testing the patellar reflex, as it forces the patient to concentrate on the interlocking of the fingers and prevents conscious inhibition or influence of the reflex.

  • Placenta Previa

    • Leopold's Maneuvers may find the fetus in an oblique or breech position or lying transverse as a result of the abnormal position of the placenta.

  • Dystocia and Cesarean Section

    • It can also be described as delivery requiring additional maneuvers after gentle downward traction on the head has failed to deliver the shoulders.

  • Tennis Elbow, Little-League Elbow, and Dislocation of the Radial Head

    • The physician will usually feel a "click" if the maneuver is done properly, the child will feel momentary pain, and usually within five minutes, the forearm will function well and painlessly.

  • Stages of Labor

    • The infant's head and shoulders must go through a specific sequence of maneuvers in order to pass through the ring of the mother's pelvis.

  • Venous Blood Pressure

    • Jet pilots wear pressurized suits to help maintain their venous return and blood pressure as high speed maneuvers increase venous pooling in the legs.

  • Processes and Functions of the Digestive System

    • The stomach is a muscular bag that maneuvers food particles, mixing highly acidic gastric juice and powerful digestive enzymes with the chyme to prepare for nutrient absorption in the small intestine.