Do you know how to recognize and help someone who is choking?

We are living in interesting and challenging times right now, to say the least, more and more people are working from home and self-isolating, which can bring a whole new set of challenges. 

A simple but common accident that can happen at work in the office or at home is choking, while it’s scary to think about, we have put together some tips to help recognize and act upon in the event of choking. Choking is a common cause of accidental death and often preventable. Objects such as food, candy or small objects can easily become lodged in the airway if they are accidentally ‘breathed in’ rather than swallowed.

Signs and symptoms of choking

  • Unable to speak or cough
  • Grasping or pointing to the throat
  • Distressed look on the face
  • First aid treatment of choking

Encourage the patient to cough, If the choking is only mild, this will clear the obstruction and the patient should be able to speak to you.

If the obstruction is not cleared:

Give back blows

Call for help, but don’t leave the patient yet.

Bend them forward so the head is lower than the chest. For a smaller child, you can place them over your knee to do this.

Give up to 5 firm blows between the shoulder blades with the palm of your hand. Check between blows and stop if you clear the obstruction.

If the obstruction is still not cleared:

Give abdominal thrusts

  • Stand behind the person and wrap your arms around the waist.
  • Place your clenched fist just above the person’s navel. Grab your fist with your other hand.
  • Quickly pull inward and upward as if trying to lift the person up.
  • Perform a total of 5 abdominal thrusts.
  • If the blockage is still not dislodged, continue cycles of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts until the object is coughed up or the person starts to breathe or cough.
  • Take the object out of his mouth only if you can see it. Never do a finger sweep unless you can see the object in the person’s mouth

Give CPR, if necessary

If the obstruction comes out, but the person becomes unconscious, begin CPR.

Continue CPR until medical personnel arrives.

 

What if I am choking and nobody is around to help?

It’s a scary situation whether you’re in a room full of people or alone at home. But there is a fast and effective solution: the Heimlich Maneuver®.

The best way to dislodge an obstruction is the Heimlich Maneuver. And if you’re alone, you can perform the Self-Heimlich.

Even though you won’t be able to speak when you’re choking, call 9-1-1 so help is on the way if you need it. Then take action to dislodge the obstruction.

Here’s how you can save your life with the Self-Heimlich:

  • Position yourself behind a chair or on the edge of a table.
  • Press your abdomen, the same area you’d place your fist on another person, against a table or chair with quick inward and upward thrusts.
  • Repeat until the object is dislodged.

You can also watch the Heimlich Heroes Self-Heimlich video for a closer look at how to perform the maneuver on yourself.

 

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