Heimlich Maneuver; A Simple, Effective And Crucial Procedure To Know 🩺

Olivia Dahan
Nov 16, 2020
3 min read

In this week’s blog post we'll be talking about what choking is and ways to treat choking victims such as the Heimlich maneuver.

What is CHOKING?

Choking occurs when an object lodges in the throat, blocking the flow of air.

Signs of choking

Inability to talk
Difficulty breathing or noisy breathing
Squeaky sounds when trying to breathe
Cough, which may either be weak or forceful
Skin, lips and nails turning blue or dusky
Skin that is flushed, then turns pale or bluish in colour
Loss of consciousness
Gagging
Watery eyes
Red face

What to do when someone is choking?

For children (older than 1):

-Perform the Heimlich maneuver

For infants (younger than 1):

Assume a seated position and hold the infant facedown
Thump the infant gently but firmly
Turn the infant face-up on your forearm
Repeat the back blows and chest thrusts
If breathing does not resume begin infant CPR

For adults:

Use the Red Cross’ “five-and-five” method to treat a person who’s choking: Hit the person’s back with the heel of your hand five times between the shoulder blades. Next, perform the Heimlich maneuver (aka abdominal thrusts) five times. Alternate between the two until the person is no longer choking.

***If you're the only rescuer, perform back blows and abdominal thrusts before calling 911 or your local emergency number for help. If another person is available, have that person call for help while you perform first aid.

What is the Heimlich Maneuver?

The Heimlich maneuver is a procedure used to help a choking person who is conscious and unable to talk. The Heimlich maneuver pushes air out of the person's lungs and makes him/her cough. The force of the cough may then move the object out of his/her airway.

Steps to the Heimlich Maneuver?

Stand behind the person. Place one foot slightly in front of the other for balance. Wrap your arms around the waist. Tip the person forward slightly. If a child is choking, kneel down behind the child.
Make a fist with one hand. Position it slightly above the person's navel.
Grasp the fist with the other hand. Press hard into the abdomen with a quick, upward thrust — as if trying to lift the person up.
Perform between six and 10 abdominal thrusts until the blockage is dislodged.

How to do the Heimlich Maneuver on yourself?

If no one is around to help, first call 911, then proceed with the Heimlich maneuver on yourself:

Place a fist slightly above your navel.
Grasp your fist with the other hand and bend over a hard surface — a countertop or chair will do.
Shove your fist inward and upward.

How to perform CPR?

If the person becomes unconscious perform standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

Lay the person down on their back, on a flat surface.
Kneel on the side of the unconscious person and place your hand in the middle of their chest, palm down.
Place your free hand over the top of the other. Lean forward with your shoulders and push down quickly, 100 times per minute. This is called chest compression.
Repeat this process until the person starts breathing again or medical help gets there.

Complications

They include: throat irritation, throat damage, and death from asphyxiation.

Preventions

For children:

Cut their food into small pieces, keep their play area as safe as possible (i.e. make sure all the small objects such as legos, erasers or beads are put into boxes on shelves where the children will not be able to reach.) And lastly, do not speak while eating.

For adults:

Make sure you chew your food completely, keep water near you and avoid speaking while eating.

A visual of the Heimlich maneuver:

In this video, Mary a registered nurse, goes over the exact procedure to follow when giving the Heimlich maneuver to someone who is choking. She also explains how to give it to a person who is pregnant or who is larger.

This is a simple skill that we can all acquire TO SAVE LIVES so I encourage all of you to learn it and even better to get first aid certified! It is not something you will regret in the future!