The Valsalva maneuver is a quick way to soothe ringing in the ears

When their ears ring on a plane, many people overcome this by covering their mouths and nostrils while snorting air through their noses. As it turned out, this method was not just a random spontaneous action but a Valsalva maneuver. So, what is the Valsalva maneuver?

The Valsalva maneuver is a method of lightening the ears

Source: Medical News Today

The Valsalva maneuver is one way of breathing by increasing the pressure in the chest.

As a result, there is a change in heart rate and blood pressure when expelling air from the body when the opening that connects the trachea and pharynx closes.

The term, introduced in the 1700s by Antonio Maria Valsava, was originally used to remove pus from the ear.

However, over time, the Valsalva maneuver is quite beneficial for everyday life and is often used when:

• Straining when defecating
• Practice using the saxophone
• Lifting heavy weights
• Reduces ear hum when on an airplane

How to perform the Valsalva maneuver

This method, which does not involve the mouth, is surprisingly easy and does not require any assistance.

The instructions below are one way to make the Valsalva maneuver easy and to solve your ear problems. Here are the steps:

1. Start from taking a deep breath and holding your breath for a few seconds.
2. If your chest and stomach muscles feel tight and pressing, then you are correct.
3. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds.
4. Inhale forcefully again so you can exhale quickly.
5. Continue your normal breathing.

If you find it difficult to do the above methods, there are other options you can take to perform the Valsalva maneuver.

You can start in a lying position and blow on the empty, clean bottle for 15 seconds.

How the Valsalva maneuver works in the respiratory system

As reported by the National Center for Biotechnology Information page, the Valsalva maneuver is a way of breathing that is divided into four stages.

Starting from increasing blood pressure from the forced respiratory system to returning blood pressure to normal numbers.

Phase I

When you inhale while the nostrils are clamped and the mouth is closed, there is tension that increases your blood pressure.

Then, the blood flow slows down in the large blood vessels and affects the circulation of the lungs.

Phase II

In this phase the blood pressure stabilizes again because the limited amount of blood in the blood vessels returns to the heart. As a result, the blood pumped from the heart decreases and your heart rate increases.

Phase III

Before you re-open your nostrils and end the Valsalva maneuver, your blood pressure will drop for a while and make you more relaxed.

Phase IV

Finally, the blood returns to your heart. Then, after the heart rate returns to normal, blood flow continues as usual and blood pressure rises again.

This is because the blood vessels have not widened, aka still narrowed.

Risks and side effects of performing the Valsalva maneuver

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The Valsalva maneuver is a fairly effective method of getting the wind out of the ears and overcoming the ringing in them.

However, that does not mean that there are no risks or side effects that arise when you do this kind of breathing.

The main side effect that can occur from this condition is hypotension. This condition can occur due to a sudden and drastic drop in blood pressure during the Valsalva maneuver.

In some people, breathing like this can also cause dizziness and fainting.

The Valsalva maneuver is a safe way with side effects that are quite rare because everyone can do it. However, check with your doctor if you feel dizzy after performing the Valsalva maneuver.

However, these side effects tend to be rare because this breathing pattern is relatively safe for everyone.

However, to be on the safe side, check with your doctor if you feel dizzy while performing the Valsalva maneuver.