•  
  •  

Valsalva Maneuver

A 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 using the stomach muscles and diaphragm but not let any air out through the nose or mouth.

Last Revised: August 9, 2010

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & John M. Miller, MD - Electrophysiology

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

To learn more visit Healthwise.org

© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.