(Reading time: 2 minutes, 28 seconds) What may seem harmless can turn into a life-threatening situation. If someone is choking and begins to weaken, it’s essential to help them. In such a situation, the Heimlich maneuver can save a life. What is it and how do you perform it?
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Choking is the blockage of the airway by a small-sized object. In adults, such situations usually occur during meals. Meanwhile, children can choke on small objects they put in their mouths. Most likely, each of us has choked at some point. Fortunately, we managed to cough it out. By clearing the airways. However, sometimes choking is so dangerous that it interferes with breathing and can lead to suffocation.
What to do when someone is choking?
A person who is choking usually tries to cough up the object, and when that doesn’t help, they start to react nervously and desperately try to breathe in air. When despite many attempts, they cannot dislodge the object from the airways, the person may weaken. In such a situation, you must help. If we don’t, it can even lead to respiratory arrest and suffocation. Above all, you should not panic, and if possible, remove visible fragments of foreign bodies from the oral cavity. Then, stand beside the choking person, support their chest with one hand, and lean them forward strongly. Such tilting may prevent the foreign body from moving deeper into the airways and facilitate its removal. Using the free hand, perform up to 5 strong blows between the shoulder blades.
Heimlich Maneuver
If the person who is choking continues to choke and the foreign body has not moved enough to be expelled, it is advisable to use the Heimlich Maneuver. To do this:
- Stand with the victim and wrap your arms around their torso at the level of the upper abdomen.
- Tilt the choking person forward so that the foreign body can exit the respiratory system.
- Clench one hand into a fist and place it at the level of the upper abdomen under the sternum.
- Grab the fist with the other hand and quickly pull the clasped hands inward and upward. This maneuver compresses the air trapped in the airways, allowing the foreign body to exit.
If the Heimlich maneuver does not produce results the first time, it can be repeated 4-5 more times, with each subsequent compression being a separate motion. If the injured person weakens and begins to lose consciousness, call an ambulance and, if necessary, perform resuscitation until it arrives.
When choking alone without anyone nearby who can help, you can perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself. To do this, place your fist above your navel. Grab your fist with the other hand and lean against the back of a chair or another hard surface. Then, push inward and upward.
The Heimlich maneuver can be used on adults and children over one year old. It should not be performed on younger children because their organs and bones are not developed enough to withstand pressure on the diaphragm.