| 1. |
Ask the choking
person to stand if he or she is sitting. |
| 2. |
Place yourself
slightly behind the standing victim. ( Image a.) |
| 3. |
Reassure the
victim that you know the Heimlich maneuver and are going to help. |
| 4. |
Place your arms
around the victim's waist. ( Image b.) |
| 5. |
Make a fist with
one hand and place your thumb toward the victim, just above his or
her belly button. ( Image c.) |
| 6. |
Grab your fist
with your other hand. ( Image d.) |
| 7. |
Deliver five
upward squeeze-thrusts into the abdomen. ( Image e.) |
| 8. |
Make each
squeeze-thrust strong enough to dislodge a foreign body. |
| 9. |
Understand that
your thrusts make the diaphragm move air out of the victim's lungs,
creating a kind of artificial cough. |
| 10. |
Keep a firm grip
on the victim, since he or she can lose consciousness and fall to
the ground if the Heimlich maneuver is not effective. |
| 11. |
Repeat the
Heimlich maneuver until the foreign body is expelled. |
| |
| |
|
|
d.
|
e.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
Tips: |
 |
If a victim is
coughing strongly or able to talk, let the person try to expel the
foreign body using his or her own efforts. |
|
|
If the choking
victim displays a weak or ineffective cough, this indicates that air
exchange is minimal and that you should start the Heimlich maneuver. |
|
|
Teach your
family the universal choking sign - clutching the throat. Encourage
everyone you know to become familiar with this sign and use it when
choking. |
| |
 |
Warnings: |
|
|
To avoid
breaking bones, never place your hands on the victim's breastbone or
lower rib cage when performing the Heimlich maneuver. |
|
|
If choking
persists, call 911 immediately. This information is not intended to
be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. |
