In medicine, the Valsalva maneuver is performed by forcibly exhaling against a closed mouth and nose. This maneuver with slight modifications can be used as a test of cardiac function and autonomic nervous control of the heart or to 'clear' the ears and sinuses (equalize pressure) when ambient pressure changes, as in diving or aviation.

The technique is named for Antonio Maria Valsalva, the 17th Century physician and anatomist from Bologna, whose principal scientific interest was the human ear. He described the Eustachian tube and the maneuver to test its patency (openness).

A modified version is done by expiring against a closed glottis. This will elicit the cardiovascular responses described below but will not force air into the eustachian tubes.