Choking (Heimlich Maneuver)

Choking is a common but serious condition. Prompt and efficient care is the best way to help a choking victim. To ensure you don’t choke, make sure to take small bites when eating. Don’t try to talk and eat and the same time. Breathing in air with food in your mouth is the easiest way to choke. Being aware of these precautions is the perfect preventative solution.

Symptoms that an adult is choking:

• One or both hands brought up to clasp their neck.
• Motions from them alluding to the fact that they are choking.
• Panicked look on their face.
• Gasping for air and not getting any or a high pitch wheezing sound.

What to do if an adult is choking:

• Begin by asking the person, “Are you choking, I can help?”
• If they indicate that they are, move behind them and place your leg in between theirs to help support them.
• Locate the person’s belly button.  (This can be done by placing your hands at their ribs and slide them down their sides until you reach the top of their hips. Move your hands to the front and their belly button should be right there.)
• Make a fist with your dominant hand and place the flat part of your fist (made up of your thumb and index finger) directly above their belly button.
• Clasp that fist and perform inward and upward thrusts. Consider making like the letter “J,” in and then up.
• Perform five separate and distinct abdominal thrusts.
• If this doesn’t remove the object, have someone call 9-1-1.

Continue the thrusts until the object is cleared or they become unconscious. If they become unconscious, immediately begin CPR.