Should you slap someone on the back when they are choking?

Should you slap someone on the back when they are choking?

Don't slap a choking person on the back while they are upright – gravity may cause the object to slip further down the trachea (windpipe). First aid for choking adults includes back blows and chest thrusts while the person is leaning forward.

What is the first thing to do for someone who appears to be choking?

If the airway is only partly blocked, the person will usually be able to speak, cry, cough or breathe. They'll usually be able to clear the blockage themselves.

What if the Heimlich maneuver doesn’t work?

If the person loses consciousness, tell someone to call 911, roll the person onto their back, and begin to perform CPR. The chest compressions from CPR can be the difference-maker in saving this person's life, and can help dislodge the object in the person's throat.

What to do after choking?

If the person is not pregnant or too obese, do abdominal thrusts (also known as the Heimlich maneuver): 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.

What to do if you’re alone and choking?

To perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) on yourself: First, if you're alone and choking, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. Then, although you'll be unable to effectively deliver back blows to yourself, you can still perform abdominal thrusts to dislodge the item.

Should you go to hospital after Heimlich?

Should You Visit the Doctor after the Heimlich Maneuver? The simple answer is yes you should visit the doctor after choking. After a serious choking emergency where successful first aid has been delivered, most victims probably would prefer to relax or even finish their meal than head off to the doctor's office.

Can the Heimlich maneuver hurt you?

One of the more serious complications that can follow a choking incident is damage to the ribs or internal organs as a result of the Heimlich maneuver. Although it's often effective, it can leave victims with bruising, cracked ribs or even internal bleeding and organ damage.

How do you give the Heimlich maneuver to an obese person?

Heimlich, now 87, no longer practices medicine or gives press interviews. However, according to Kraft, the Heimlich maneuver is credited with saving "well over 50,000 lives" in its 30 years of public use.

What is the appropriate way to clear an object from an infant’s airway?

to stop the breath of by squeezing or obstructing the windpipe; strangle; stifle. to stop by or as if by strangling or stifling: The sudden wind choked his words. to stop by filling; obstruct; clog: Grease choked the drain. to suppress (a feeling, emotion, etc.)