David2007  +  434020 Wed, 24 Oct 07 02:35 AM Hi,How to ask a patient to perform Valsalva maneuver in English?Thanks! David2007 Joined on Wed, Oct 24 2007 New Member 02

	Grammar Geek  +  434022 Wed, 24 Oct 07 02:37 AM Hi David, Welcome to the forums. Tell the person to hold their nostrils closed with one hand and try to blow their nose until their ears pop. Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,677 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!

	Grammar Geek  +  434030 Wed, 24 Oct 07 03:05 AM You're very welcome. Grammar Geek

	khoff  +  434067 Wed, 24 Oct 07 05:57 AM You could also just say " please pop your ears."  "Be sure to pop your ears while the plane is descending." Barb, how did you happen to know "Valsalva maneuver"?  I don't think anyone I know, except for doctors, would know that term.  I only learned it recently, when I lost the hearing in one ear and also had the persistent feeling that I could not "pop" that ear.  The ear doctor told me that the ear was in fact popping, but I couldn't hear it!   It still feels strange. I would be very interested to know what "popping your ears" is called in other languages -- not the medical term, but the everyday term -- and how it translates literally into English. khoff Joined on Sun, Mar 6 2005 Senior Member 3,272 Native speaker of American English (but not a grammar expert)