Talk:Valsalva maneuver

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This page has been cited as a source by a media organization. See the 2006 press source article for details. The citation is in: Daniel Engber. "My Eyeball Just Fell Out of Its Socket", Slate.com, March 13, 2006.

The article says that the Valsalva Maneuver is used for a bowel movement. This is only the case when using the sitting position (on a conventional toilet). Two-thirds of the world use squat toilets and avoid the deleterious effects of this maneuver -- both for defecation and for childbirth.

One example is hinted at in the article: "This maneuver is also sometimes used to discover an inguinal hernia in men." The daily use of this maneuver for excretion is the main reason why 700,000 hernia repair operations are performed each year in the U.S. See this link [1] to verify the number.

This link http://naturesplatform.com/health_benefits.html explains how sitting toilets force people to injure themselves thru the unnatural use of the Valsalva Maneuver, and how squatting would prevent much needless suffering.

~ Jonathan --65.146.211.39 16:58, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

Your link [2] only verifies the number of hernia operations done and does not prove what caused those hernias. Please submit some evidence that the Valsalva maneuver causes these hernias. Alex.tan 13:07, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes, I know that it does not "prove" that the hernia is caused by straining on the toilet. But common sense would tell us that a maneuver that makes a hernia pop out (to be "discovered") is the most likely reason why it developed in the first place -- especially since this maneuver is (1) used multiple times for each daily bowel movement and (2) completely alien to natural bodily functioning. No other animal uses this maneuver.

In addition, all the conventional medical websites list straining on the toilet as a major cause of hernias and pelvic floor prolapse. The experience of those who have switched to squatting is that there is virtually no straining, or holding of breath. The posture naturally compresses the colon, eliminating the need to use the diaphragm for this purpose.

Many studies by Dr. B.A. Sikirov (see medline) have verified the greater ease of defecation in the squatting position. Here is his most recent study: [[3]]

I think it's a topic at least worth mentioning in the article.

~ Jonathan --65.151.216.207 17:48, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

As far as I know, constipation is a much bigger factor in causing hernias than whether you sit or squat on the toilet. Constipation, of course, can be caused by many factors other than just toileting position. Straining on the toilet does lead to hernias, but this is a result of constipation - there is no evidence that toileting position (sitting versus squatting) causes this. If you have any evidence to support this, I would like to read it. By the way, your quoted study by Dr. Sikirov is hardly a well constructed study and does not really prove anything. Alex.tan 16:02, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

Getting back to the Valsalva Maneuver, you can easily prove to yourself that it is not required when squatting. Even if you don't buy all the implications for prevention and treatment of disease, the article needs to be corrected so it does not imply that the Valsalva Maneuver is involved in natural defecation. --Jonathan108 16:48, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Function of the Diaphragm

This article incorrectly describes the function of the diaphragm. The diaphragm, like all muscles, can only contract in one direction. Muscles pull, they cannot push. That said, when the diaphragm contracts, it pulls down in the thoracic cavity causing inhalation of air into the lungs by creating a negative pressure (via cavity expansion). The diaphragm does NOT contract to cause exhalation of air.

68.63.28.61 06:19, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Eye expelled through eye

Is there any documentation on the Valsalva meaneuver where the air is expelled through your tear-duct? This happens to me.

Yes : http://www.emedicine.com/OPH/topic592.htm Specifically, if the valve of Hasner and valve of Rosenmüller in the nasolacrimal duct are missing increased pressure in the nasal cavity (as with nose-blowing or the Valsalva maneuver) an cause retrograde passage of air or fluids through the nasolacrimal duct onto the eye.

In an episode of _Ripley's Believe it or Not_ Jim Cichon was documented as the world record holder for squirting milk from his tear duct.

This article has been referenced by a Slate magazine article. I think there is a template that can be added to the top of this page to say that but am quite new so can't find it. Any ideas? --Wikipediatastic 10:57, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

The article is here: http://www.slate.com/id/2137959/?nav=fo

When viewed just now, the image in this article showed just the Wiki sample default image. Also, a few sentences below that is the sentence "Blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and pulse rate during a normal response to Valsalva’s manoever." which is missing a key word... the longer description described increases and decreases, and my non-medical self can't figure out which should go in the sentence. Ricky 00:15, 7 October 2006 (UTC)

Ah, looks like a new user did major edits yesterday. Could somebody who knows something about the topic look at this? It seems bad to me, but not knowing anything about the topic, and being a newish Wikipedian myself, I don't feel bold enough. Ricky 00:25, 7 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Abuse of this Mechanism?

I remember when I was in school we once did this "trick," where you stood against a wall and held your breath, then someone applied pressure to your chest and would then suddenly stop pressing. Wich made you fade. Does that work in the same way as the Valsalva maneuver?83.118.38.37 00:02, 3 November 2006 (UTC)

Pretty much! InvictaHOG 19:22, 6 November 2006 (UTC)