Interesting Medical Fact #2: Valsalva Maneuver

This is a profile portrait of Antonio Maria Valsalva. Antonio was an Italian anatomist and physician during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. His primary research interest was the human ear, and he is credited for identifying several anatomical structures. He coined the term Eustachian tube (the tube connecting the inner ear to the throat), and he described a maneuver, the Valsalva Maneuver, that is still clinically relevant today.

The Valsalva Maneuver is when a patient tries to forcibly exhale air through a closed airway. The maneuver can be used to equalize pressure within the ear while scuba diving or riding in a plane. Variations of the maneuver can also be used to test cardiac function and to aid in the delivery of a baby.

I feel the Valsalva Maneuver is interesting enough to blog about because of the timing of its appearance in our lectures. Our recommended text references the maneuver as a clinical correlate for cardiovascular medicine. However, our class was lectured on the ear, head and neck, heart, and abdomen before the maneuver came up in lecture while discussing the mechanics of taking a poop.