It is not uncommon for people to suddenly choke and cannot breathe when eating.
As the old saying goes, people can suffocate if they cannot breathe in one breath, while food blocks the airway (respiratory tract) and is likely to be unable to breathe, which will only be more dangerous.
At this time, it may be too late to send yourself to the hospital or wait for 120, so it is necessary for everyone to learn some first aid methods.
Today, Dr. Clove will talk about Heimlick’s first aid method to deal with foreign body choking cough.
Choking and unable to breathe, use Heimlick first aid method.
When encountering a foreign body sticking in the throat, many people will stick their fingers into their mouths to dig when they are in a hurry.
In fact, doctors did the same thing many years ago. The key is that it has no effect and it is easy to get foreign bodies stuck deeper.
Heimlick is an American surgeon who was shocked by a large number of foreign body suffocation deaths during his work.
After repeated studies and animal experiments, he finally invented a more effective method to deal with airway foreign body obstruction, saving countless lives. From then on, this method was named [Heimlick First Aid Method].
How does the Heimlick first aid work?
If someone is found choking but can cough, encourage them to cough more and try to expel foreign bodies.
If someone is found choking and unable to speak, cough or breathe (as shown in the figure below), Dr. Clove suggests that everyone call 120 immediately and use Heimlick method for first aid.
Severe airway obstruction
1. For sober, children over 1 year old and adults
- The rescuer stands behind the injured person with one leg between the injured person’s legs and his body close to the injured person’s back (as shown in the figure below). The rescuer clenched his fist with his fist eye aimed at the injured person’s upper abdomen (two horizontal fingers above the navel) and grabbed his fist with the other hand, hitting back and up quickly until the foreign body is discharged or the injured person loses response.
Note:
- After clenching your fist, aim your thumb (fist eye) at your abdomen. Instead of using four fingers. For children, Rescuers should use their legs as fulcrum when hitting their abdomen, and do not let children’s feet off the ground (Figure 1 below). For pregnant women and people with obvious abdominal obesity, chest impact method should be adopted, and the impact position is in the lower half of sternum (Figure 2 below). Do not use Heimlick method for first aid when fish bones are stuck, and go to the department of five officials or otolaryngology to deal with them quickly.
2. For unconscious, children over 1 year old and adults
- Let the injured person lie down and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately (click to view), starting with chest compressions. For each 30 compressions, check whether there is any foreign body discharged from the oral cavity. If so, carefully clean it up. If not, continue with artificial respiration twice. Repeat this until the emergency personnel arrive.
3. For conscious infants under 1 year of age
The combination of double finger impact on the chest (in the middle of the line connecting the two nipples, as shown in the figure below) and palm and back slapping.
Chest compression and impact 5 times, then back slapping 5 times, alternating until foreign bodies are discharged or the baby loses response (cardiopulmonary resuscitation is performed when the response is lost).
Note:
In the first aid of infants, the chest is impacted instead of the abdomen so as not to damage the liver of the infant.
STEP 4 For Yourself
In theory, you can use your fist to hit your abdomen, or use your round and blunt chair back to hit your upper abdomen to save yourself (as shown in the figure below).
However, when foreign body obstruction occurs, it may not be able to make a correct response, so it is still necessary to ask others for help in the first place.
Interestingly, Heimlick’s first aid method has been born for more than 40 years. As the inventor, Dr. Heimlick has only conducted two first aid operations for human beings. In addition, he has conducted experiments on dogs.
It seems that learning this method can not only save people, but also save their puppies.