RespiteMatch.com Health Blog

Choking is the seventh leading cause of accidental death. It doesn’t have to be that way, because choking can be stopped using the Heimlich maneuver. This life-saving technique was developed by Dr. Henry Heimlich in 1974 and is credited with saving thousands of lives since then.\

When and How to Use
the Heimlich Maneuver
Don’t interfere with a possible choking victim who’s
coughing forcefully. Coughing may be all that’s needed
to dislodge the blockage. But if the person looks
alarmed, grasps his or her throat, can’t cough, talk or
breathe, appears to be turning blue or the veins on the
head or neck are swollen, here’s what to do:

1. Have someone call for medical help while
you stand behind the choking person and
put your arms around him or her. If the victim
is sitting, bend your knees and waist
behind the chair to circle both the victim
and chair.
2. Clench your fist and place it with your
thumb inward just above the navel, below
the breastbone and between the rib cage.
(If a choking victim is pregnant or extremely
obese, place your fist on the chest instead of
on the abdomen.)
3. Grasp your fist with your other hand and,
bending your elbows, pull both hands
toward you with a quick upward and inward
thrust. Repeat these thrusts until the blockage
is dislodged. Stop if the choking person
becomes unconscious.

If the Choking
Person Becomes
Unconscious…
A. Place the victim on his or her back and use your
index finger like a hook to dislodge anything in the
victim’s mouth that might be blocking the airway.
(Don’t try this on a child or infant.) Be careful not to
force an object deeper into the airway.
B. If this doesn’t work, administer rescue breathing for
two full breaths.
C. If the victim doesn’t regain consciousness, perform
the Heimlich maneuver as adapted for a victim on
his or her back:
n Straddle the victim’s thighs.
n Position the heel of one hand just above the victim’s
navel.
n Cover that hand with your other hand, interlacing fingers.
nKeeping your arms straight, rapidly press the abdomen
inward and upward until the foreign matter is expelled,
but not more than 10 times.

If this doesn’t work, repeat steps A through C for as long
as necessary. Infants and young children require special
techniques, which are taught by the Red Cross, the
YMCA and many community agencies.

Necessary Actions
Choking victims may feel embarrassed and try to leave
the room. If they do, accompany them or they may
black out without anybody around; so perform the
Heimlich maneuver as soon as you’ve determined
someone is choking. In only four minutes, choking can
cut off enough oxygen to the brain to cause permanent
damage, even if the person survives the incident. And
any choking victim who’s able to breathe again should
still be examined by a doctor as soon as possible since
the abdominal thrusts can damage the liver and other
internal organs.