Oh Choking emergency Can get really scary, really fast.
Whether it’s you or someone else, knowing how to calmly overcome an obstacle can be the difference between life and death.
The Heimlich maneuver is a first aid method recommended by most health organizations, which uses abdominal force to relieve an obstruction. Person’s windpipe.
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Mass General Brigham, a health care system in Boston, Massachusetts, shares step-by-step guidance on its website on how to effectively perform the Heimlich, provided by Wendy Macias-Konstantopoulos, MD.
Experts recommend making sure the person is not breathing, talking or coughing before starting the Heimlich. (iStock)
1. Call 911.
In any choking emergency, Mass. Gen. Brigham recommends calling 911 first to report that someone may need the help of a medical professional.
If another person is present, one person should call 911 while the other begins Heimlich.
2. Assess the situation.
The Heimlich maneuver should not be performed on someone who can still talk, breathe or cough, according to Macias Constantopoulos.
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In this case, encourage anyone exhibiting these symptoms. Continue coughing to eliminate the object.
If none of these signs are present, or if the person is showing signs of universal suffocation, begin by applying up to five sharp blows to the person’s back with the heel of your hand between the shoulder blades.
Experts say that if the person is exhibiting the sign of universal suffocation, shown here, it is best to start the Heimlich administration. (iStock)
3. Start the Heimlich.
If the person is still choking after a few blows to the back, experts recommend starting the Heimlich maneuver.
Macias-Konstantopoulos’ guidance is to stand behind the first choking person, or kneel if This is a child.
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Wrap your arms around their torso from behind. Make a fist with one hand and hold with the other.
Place your hands between the person’s belly button and rib cage.
One doctor instructed to place your fist above the belly button and below the rib cage when administering the Heimlich. (iStock)
Next, move inward and upward on the diaphragm. This will release air from the lungs and clear the blockage. The doctor suggested repeating these abdominal beats up to five times.
If choking persists, return to five back thrusts followed by five abdominal thrusts until the airway is clear or Help has arrived.
For those who may be pregnant or obese, the Heimlich maneuver can be performed with five chest thrusts to the breastbone or mid-chest instead of the abdomen.
What to do when a child is choking
Mass. General Brigham cautioned that the Heimlich maneuver should not be used on children under 12 months of age.
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Instead, if a baby under one year old is choking, hold him face down with your arm or thigh-length, head down.
The health care system advises that the child be hit on their back sharply, firmly but not so hard as to injure them.
Recommended Heimlich exercises vary between adults and children. (iStock)
After the blockage is removed, check the baby’s mouth and remove any visible material with a finger.
If back blows don’t work, try chest thrusts by holding the baby’s face in the same direction.
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Keep their head lower than their body and support the baby’s neck and head with your hand, according to Macias Constantinopoulos.
Place two to three fingers on the baby’s breastbone, or in the center of his chest, and quickly press up and down an inch five times.
If you are suffocating and you are alone, the same Heimlich technique can be performed on yourself. (iStock)
As children are especially prone to suffocation, Dr. Parents and guardians Be careful with foods like popcorn, nuts, grapes, hot dogs and hard candy.
“Cut baby food into small pieces before eating,” she advises.
“Keep choking hazards out of children’s reach, keep a close eye on your child while they eat and supervise playtime.”
What to do if you are choking
If you are suffocating while alone, the same Heimlich technique can be performed on yourself, according to Mass. General Brigham.
Place your fists just above your belly button and pull in and up into your diaphragm.
Alternatively, try leaning on a hard surface, such as the back of a chair or countertop, and pull yourself into the same area of your stomach to create the same force as your lungs.
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The health care system noted that if you are unable to speak, many states allow texting to 911.
“Type the 9-1-1 numbers into the ‘to’ or ‘recipient’ field,” Macias-Konstantopoulos instructed. “Text your location and the nature of your emergency immediately.”