How to perform the Heimlich Maneuver

The Heimlich maneuver is a three-step emergency response technique that can save a life in seconds. It is a simple action that will often dislodge food or another object from a person's airway when they are choking. Knowing how to do it properly and being willing to use that knowledge can make a difference.

Steps  

   1. Determine if a person is a choking victim. A choking victim will often have their hands around their throat and a desperate or panicked look on their face. Actual choking victims are getting no air through to their lungs, so they will not be able to consent to a question "Are you okay?" or "Do you need help?" except by nodding their head.

   2. Get the victim in a standing position, and get behind them, standing with your legs separated, your right leg slightly between theirs, your left leg slightly behind you, to form a "tripod" in the event they faint or become unconscious.

   3. Reach around the victim from behind and make a fist near, but just above their navel with your left hand, and wrap your right hand around this fist, firmly against the victim's abdomen.

   4. In a lifting motion, pull up with both hands sharply into the solar plexus (above the navel, but just below the midsection of the ribs), as if you are trying to jerk them off their feet from this position. Do several upward thrusts until they cough out the obstacle obstructing their air way.

Tips  

• This is a description of a basic abdominal thrust for similar sized persons of adult or near adult sizes. It is less effective for very large persons, or for very short persons attempting it on very tall people.
• Often, a hard slap on the back will cause the victim to cough out a blockage.
• Watch out for falling victims, if they are indeed choking, at some point they will become unconscious, and fall.
• Be prepared to call for help immediately if you are sure someone is choking. A few minutes without air, and oxygen in the blood, and the victim will be beyond your help.
• If you ever have an opportunity through your school, employer, or other group, take the Red Cross First Aid course. Here, you will learn the legal aspects of giving care to strangers, and many other techniques to help save lives.
• If you are choking and are alone, you can do abdominal thrusts on yourself by leaning over a straight back chair and allowing yourself to drop onto it hard enough to expel the air in your lungs.
• When this situation occurs, and the Heimlich is not successful, you may have to consider further first aid measures. The stance behind the person at the beginning of the article should allow you to ease them down safely.

Warnings  

• Do not attempt to slap a choking victim on the back if he or she is coughing! A coughing victim indicates only a partial blockage, and slapping one on the back can induce a full air blockage. Allow him or her to cough up the blockage before you intervene.
• Some victims, embarrassed of their situation may be inclined to take off to the bathroom immediately. If a member of your group of diners suddenly gets up and leaves for the bathroom without saying anything, have someone follow, just to make sure this is not the situation.
• Choking is a life threatening situation. Be prepared to act immediately if someone is experiencing this.

External links  

• http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses

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