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Valsalva maneuver

Syllabification: (Val·sal·va ma·neu·ver)

Pronunciation: /valˈsalvə/

Definition of Valsalva maneuver

noun

Medicine

the action of attempting to exhale with the nostrils and mouth, or the glottis, closed. This increases pressure in the middle ear and the chest, as when bracing to lift heavy objects, and is used as a means of equalizing pressure in the ears.