Valsalva ManeuverA Valsalva maneuver is an effort to exhale without letting air escape through the nose or mouth. People often use a Valsalva maneuver during some common activities, such as straining to have a bowel movement or blowing a stuffy nose. A Valsalva maneuver is not normally harmful. But it may cause irregular heart rhythms in some people who have certain types of heart disease. A person may be asked to do a Valsalva maneuver during certain medical tests or exams. During the test, a person is asked to try to breathe out using the stomach muscles and diaphragm but not let any air out through the nose or mouth. Current as of:
September 21, 2016 Author:
Healthwise Staff Medical Review:
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & Rakesh K. Pai, MD - Cardiology, Electrophysiology & E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine & John M. Miller, MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology |
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