This first aid technique is called the Heimlich hug or Heimlich maneuver In 1974, Dr Henry Heimlich
described this emergency treatment for choking victims. There is no local statistics, but in the U.S. about
2,000 Americans choke to death each year. These deaths could have been prevented by the Heimlich
maneuver.
When a person suddenly chokes because of an obstruction in the throat, the most urgent problem is
the blocked breathing leading to a lack of oxygen. Since the brain cannot survive even for a few minutes
without oxygen, an emergency first aid has to be done to relieve the choking and prevent brain damage and death.
The most important part of the rescue is to be able to identify if a person is choking or not. In adults,
the usual causes are while eating or from dislodged dentures. In children the most common cause is from
swallowing small toys or food too big for them to swallow. A choking victim will first cough or something to
that effect, then will be unable to speak with gasping for breath. It may either be a witnessed choking or
you may find him already unconscious and turning blue because of lack of oxygen. You have to do a quick survey of his surrounding or what he was doing when it happened. If needed, you have to force open
his mouth or use a spoon to check if there is food in the mouth. Choking usually occurs in a restaurant or
at mealtime since food like steaks or meat is the most common cause.
1. Stand the victim and put your arms around his or her waist.
2. Make a fist with your left hand and place it slightly above the navel just below the rib cage.
3. Grasp the fist with your hand and give a quick upward thrust. This cause sudden elevation of the
diaphragm, compressing air in the lungs and expelling the foreign object forcefully.
For choking infants or small children, let him lie on his back and use the heel of the middle and
index fingers over the same area as in adults and use this to thrust the object out.
NEVER slap a choking person on his back or neck as this may dislodge the object father down
the windpipe and cause complete block in respiration.
