Valsalva Maneuver

[aellisrn10]

How would you teach a client to perform the valsalva maneuver?

[NursesRock!!]

Do you know what the valsalva maneuver is? I'm assuming you've gone #2 before and had to strain. lol. . . It's the holding of one's breath as they "bear down." Hope this helps. :chuckle

[groovy jeff, RN]

Isn't it more like holding your nose and blowing much like you would do on a plane to clear your ears????

[AirforceRN, RN]

Both of these techiniques work...what you are trying to accomplish is a forced exhalation against a closed airway...some people find it easier to plug their noses to preform this...others are able to complete it successfully without the nose plug.

It is used to clear ones ears while diving or descending in an airplane and can also be used to jump someone out of SVT or AFib and is often used in conjunction with an ECG to diagnose cardiac abnormalities.

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Your wording is going to largely depend on the age and alertness of the patient.

Two that I've seen work well with older kids and adults:

- "Blow on the end of your finger like you're blowing on a straw."

- "Bear down like you're going to pass gas."

[groovy jeff, RN]

I thought that I had read in one of my text books that this maneuver should be employed with some one with elevated intercranial pressure????? That doesn't make sense to me; it would seem that you wouldn't want them to do it because it would increase the pressure. Did I just not understand or get this backward?? Thanks in advance.

[COLPN]

I thought that I had read in one of my text books that this maneuver should be employed with some one with elevated intercranial pressure????? That doesn't make sense to me; it would seem that you wouldn't want them to do it because it would increase the pressure. Did I just not understand or get this backward?? Thanks in advance.

You got this backward. Using the Valsalva maneuver would be contraindicated in a patient with ICP.

[GGT1]

Maybe I misread the original post... but I am a little confused... in what case would you want to teach you patient to actually "perform the valsalva maneuver" I thought you would generally teach a patient how to prevent the maneuver?

[COLPN]

Maybe I misread the original post... but I am a little confused... in what case would you want to teach you patient to actually "perform the valsalva maneuver" I thought you would generally teach a patient how to prevent the maneuver?

One reason to use it is if the patient is having SVT. Try the valsalva maneuver before resorting to Adenosine. The purpose is to stimulate the vagus nerve to slow the heart rate.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

Sometimes, stable pts who are mildly tachy w/ low bp are asked to do valsalva, in addition to staff giving them an IV fluid bolus.