Choking: first aid for choking

When a person chokes, it should be noted whether they are breathing and whether they can speak or cough, as choking can partially or completely block the airway, and is normally caused by pieces of food or small objects.

Most of the time, the choking is mild and the person is able to clear the airway through coughing, and therefore, you should ask them to cough hard or you can hit the person on the back so that the choking occurs. object or food is eliminated from the respiratory tract.

However, when these maneuvers do not relieve choking, the person’s airways are completely blocked, they cannot breathe, cough or speak, the Heimlich maneuver must be performed to unblock the airways. If the maneuver does not resolve the choking, call SAMU on 192 or take the person to the hospital immediately.

First aid for choking

First aid for choking is:

1. Mild choking

First aid for mild choking is:

1. Ask the person to cough 5 times with force;
2. Hit the middle of the back 5 timeskeeping your hand open and moving quickly from bottom to top.

During mild choking, the person is able to cough, talk, or cry because the airway is partially obstructed, and these measures can help eliminate the object or food stuck in the airway.

2. Severe choking

First aid for severe choking is to perform the Heimlich maneuver, which consists of:

1. Stand behind the victimwhich must also be standing, as shown in image 1;
2. Wrap your arms around your torso person’s;
3. Clench the fist of the hand that has the most strength and place itwith the thumb knuckle, over the victim’s stomach, which is between the ribs, as in image 2;
4. Place the other hand over the hand who has a clenched fist;
5. Press your hands against the person’s stomachinwards and upwards, as if drawing a comma, as shown in image 3.

This maneuver can be done when the technique for mild choking has not been successful or when the airways are completely obstructed, which can be identified when the person is unable to cough, speak or cry.

The pressure created by this maneuver in the stomach helps to move the object up the throat, freeing the airways, but it should not be done on children under 1 year of age or pregnant women. See what to do for babies under 1 year old.

After this procedure, it is normal for the person to start coughing, so it is important to let them cough, as it is the best way to avoid suffocation.

What to do if nothing works

If after the maneuver, the person continues to choke and cannot breathe for more than 30 seconds, it is recommended to call medical help by calling 911. During this time, you can maintain the Heimlich maneuver or try to turn the person over. upside down and try to shake it so that the part that is choking moves and lets the air pass.

If it is safe, and if the person is not clenching their teeth, you can try placing the index finger through the mouth and into the throat, in order to try to pull out the object or remains of food that is stuck. However, the victim may have a tendency to close their mouth tightly, which can result in wounds and cuts on the hand.

If, however, the person faints and stops breathing, you should stop trying to remove the object from the throat and start cardiac massage until medical help arrives or until the person reacts.

What to do if the person is unconscious

If the person is unconscious, call SAMU immediately and place the person lying on the floor, face up and with their arms at their sides.

If the person is not breathing or does not have a pulse, start chest compressions, in the same way as cardiac massage, regularly checking whether the object or food is expelled and whether breathing and heartbeat return. Learn how to do cardiac massage correctly.

It is not recommended to try to remove the object or food that is obstructing the airways, as this could push it further into the airways and make it difficult for the medical team to remove.

First aid for pregnant women

In the case of choking in pregnant women, it is not recommended to perform the Heimlich maneuver, in which case you should place your hands at the base of the sternum, just above the junction of the lower ribs. This movement must be repeated until the airways are clear.

The sternum is the bone in the middle of the chest, and this procedure on pregnant women has the same effect as the Heimlich maneuver, but it does not put pressure on the pregnant woman’s abdomen.

What to do when you choke alone

In cases where you are alone and the cough is not helping, you can follow the following steps:

1. Stay in the 4 support positionwith your knees and hands on the floor;
2. Remove the support from both arms at the same timestretching them forward;
3. Let the torso fall towards the floor quickly to push air out of the lungs.

Ideally, this maneuver should be done on a carpet, but on a smooth, hard surface. However, it can be done directly on the ground, because, although there is a risk of breaking a rib, it is an emergency maneuver that can help save a life.

Another option is to perform the maneuver on top of a high counter, supporting your body weight with your arms stretched out on the counter and then letting your torso fall onto the counter with force.