Valsalva maneuver

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/valsalva-maneuver

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary medical use?Diagnostic assessment of autonomic nervous system function and cardiovascular reflexes (baroreflex sensitivity)
2. Why do we do it?It helps equalize pressure in your ears so you don't feel pain when flying, diving, or climbing. Doctors also use it to check how your heart and nervous system work.
3. How does it help our ears?By pushing air through the Eustachian tubes, it balances the pressure on both sides of the eardrum, preventing discomfort.

Intrathoracic Pressure: The pressure within the chest cavity, fluctuating with breathing and straining.
Venous Return: The flow of blood from the body's veins back to the heart.
Baroreceptors: Sensory nerve endings that detect changes in blood pressure.
Cardiac Output: The volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute.