I Did the Valsalva Maneuver Yesterday... Bad Idea?

[Lilpeep]

So I did the valsalva maneuver yesterday without even thinking about it. This kind of thing happens to me a lot. I do something what seems innocent and then a day later I start reading all sorts of stuff about it and I'm like.. shit here we go again..

So I was walking my dog yesterday and without thinking I decided to do the valsalva. This morning when I was kickboxing, like always I used earplugs. My tinnitus seems a different pitch. More like an eeee than a static sound. It's much more annoying. Is this because of the valsalva?

I did it once and not even hard. I'm stressing again. How can one possibly know all this by oneself?? Please help

 

[Mellow7]

You shouldn't be worrying about doing that once. Plenty of people use this technique on the plane or when diving to equalize pressure.

Sure, there are safer alternatives, such as the Toynbee maneuver, but aside from doing it excessively, this won't have caused damage.

When my T started I had a lot of ear fullness which I initially tried to solve with Valsalva repeatedly. If it made it worse, it also subsided after a few days.

When it comes to changes, you just gotta try and ride it out. Realize that tinnitus can be erratic and unpredictable but also in the positive sense. A new tone may disappear after a few days, but that means you gotta let your brain have the room to not mind the signal. Try and check for changes as little as possible would be my advice. The next time you cannot help but plug your ears because of noise or when you find yourself in a silent room, it may very well be gone. That has been my experience.

 

[Lilpeep]

You shouldn't be worrying about doing that once. Plenty of people use this technique on the plane or when diving to equalize pressure.

Sure, there are safer alternatives, such as the Toynbee maneuver, but aside from doing it excessively, this won't have caused damage.

When my T started I had a lot of ear fullness which I initially tried to solve with Valsalva repeatedly. If it made it worse, it also subsided after a few days.

When it comes to changes, you just gotta try and ride it out. Realize that tinnitus can be erratic and unpredictable but also in the positive sense. A new tone may disappear after a few days, but that means you gotta let your brain have the room to not mind the signal. Try and check for changes as little as possible would be my advice. The next time you cannot help but plug your ears because of noise or when you find yourself in a silent room, it may very well be gone. That has been my experience.

Thank you so much. Best advice I could have get at this point! Bless you

 

[Lilpeep]

I want to add that I probably have ETD. I've read that its dangerous to do the valsalva if you have etd but really didnt do it heavy and only did it once. I do have muffled feeling and somewhat of a T spike

 

[Mellow7]

I want to add that I probably have ETD. I've read that its dangerous to do the valsalva if you have etd but really didnt do it heavy and only did it once. I do have muffled feeling and somewhat of a T spike

It's not more dangerous to do it than when you don't have ETD, for instance when altitude is rapidly decreasing. Like you say, you only did it once. I also have a bit of ETD, and my ENT actually advised me to do it to open my tubes I don't need to, because I can open my tubes voluntarily by flexing my throat muscles. I stand by my original advice. If it caused a spike, it will pass.