A forcible attempt to breathe out when the airway is closed. The manoeuvre occurs naturally when an attempt is made to breathe out while holding the vocal cords tightly together. This happens, for example, at the beginning of a sneeze. When performed deliberately by pinching the nose and holding the mouth closed, the manoeuvre can prevent pressure damage to the eardrums (see barotrauma).
Valsalva’s manoeuvre |
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