Valsalva maneuver is the medical term for the action of closing one’s mouth and pinched one’s nose shut while trying to breathe against this closed airway. This can be carried out in various methods as a medical examination to test cardiac functions.

This technique can be used while examining abnormalities related to the heart. What this technique does is enable us to test for low blood pressure as it can equalize the pressure between the various parts of the body such as the ear and sinus.

It is quite effective for the above mentioned diagnosis of hypotension. Through Valsalva maneuver, the body experiences a rise in blood pressure which starts in the chest and this forces blood into the heart. This entry of blood to the heart is enhanced as it was held back because of the use of this technique. These cause an increase in the stroke volume which finally comes back to normal along with the body’s pulse rate.