My Blog
My two Heimlich Maneuver experiences: 1988 and 2008
Tue, July 1, 2008 - 3:45 PM
Will
See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heimlich
Tue, July 1, 2008 - 3:45 PM -
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Wed, July 2, 2008 - 8:12 AM
Yikes! Glad you are o.k.!!!
That is a terrible feeling, in public alarming/embarrassing, and at home, downright dangerous and frightening. Here is some info. on self-Heilich and what to do when someone is choking.
*************************** What to Do If You Choke *************************** When you choke, you can save your own life with the same procedure used for others, below. Here are the steps: 1. Make a fist and put the thumb side of your fist against your belly, below the ribs and above the navel, in the same way you would do for others. 2. Grab your fist with your other hand and press into your upper abdomen with a quick upward, thrust in the same way you would do for others. 3. Repeat until you get rid of the object. OR 1. Lean over a table or chair edge so that your upper belly, below the ribs and above the naval, is on the edge of the table or chair. 2. Quickly and firmly thrust upward against the chair or table until the object comes out. ******************************************************* Caring for the Conscious Person Who Is Choking ******************************************************* Do NOTHING for a choking adult or child who is able to speak or cough. Just stay with them, call for help and try to calm them down. You also do not do anything if the infant is crying or coughing. Do these things only if the conscious, choking person is NOT speaking or coughing. Adult and Child (1 to 8 Years Old) For the conscious, choking adult and child you must continuously do the Heimlich Maneuver until the person becomes unconscious OR they begin to breathe on their own. The steps are: 1. Stand behind the person and put your arms around the person's waist. 2. Make a fist with on hand and put the thumb side on the person's belly just under the ribs and above the belly button (naval). 3. Put the other hand over the closed fist. 4. Thrust or push your hand and fist in a strong, fast, upward push against the person's belly. Continue the thrusts until the object comes out. Do NOT stop until the person becomes unconscious or starts to breathe, cough and/or speak on their own. Perform the steps for an unconscious, choking person (see below) if the person becomes unconscious. Get medical help if the person becomes able to breathe on their own. They still need help. Infant (Less than 1 Year Old) For the conscious and unconscious, choking infant you must continuously do the Heimlich Maneuver until the infant begins to breathe on their own. The steps are: 1. Give 5 back blows. 2. Give 5 chest thrusts (Put your index and middle fingers of both hands below the ribs and just above the naval and give quick, upward thrusts). 3. Repeat 1 and 2 until the object comes out or they begin to cry, or breathe on their own. Do NOT stop until the baby becomes unconscious or starts to breathe, cry or cough on their own. ****************************************************************** Caring for the Unconscious Adult and Child Who Is Choking ****************************************************************** Do these steps when the choking person is unconscious and when your CPR breaths are NOT making the person's chest rise and fall. 1. Put the person on a firm surface, like on a board or on the floor. 2. Kneel on the floor with your knees near the person's hips. 3. Place one hand on top of the other and place these 2 hands below the ribs and above the naval. 4. Do quick, hard, upward thrusts using your body and hands. Remove an object, or food, if you see it in the mouth. Do NOT stop until the person starts to breathe, cough and/or speak on their own. from: www.nursingassistanteducation.com/s...hp American Heart Association (12/13/2005). "Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care". Circulation. Volume 112. Issue 24 Supplement. circ.ahajournals.org/content/ vol112/24_suppl/#AMERICAN_HEART_ASSOCIATION_GUIDELINES _FORCARDIOPULMONARY_RESUSCITATIONAND _EMERGENCY_CARDIOVASCULAR_CARE University of Washington (2005). "Learn CPR: You Can Do It." depts.washington.edu/learncpr/ |
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Wed, July 2, 2008 - 8:22 AM
also
I know they say when choking one should raise your arms over your head to open the esophagus for breathing, but if there is food in there I am not sure if that will make it more stuck!
How to perform the heimlich maneuver on yourself. www.essortment.com/family/h..._szcp.htm The Heimlich maneuver may be practiced upon one's self much as it is practiced upon another, though a change of technique is required. There are two ways to perform the Heimlich maneuver on one's self. The first method is much like those conducted on others. * Place your balled fists together, about two inches above the navel, but below the breastbone. Thrust forcefully upward and into your abdomen. Repeat until the blockage is cleared. This may be difficult, as the angle at which one must place one's arms in order to achieve this compression can be hard to reach, especially with the force required to dislodge a tracheal blockage. * If it is not cleared, one may alternatively lean over a chair or similar prop to attempt compression. Place yourself over a chest-high chair, and, if possible, force yourself upon it quickly and forcefully in an attempt to force out the blockage. This may, depending upon your strength and stature, be more or less effective than the traditional fisted method. Many people find it difficult to perform the Heimlich maneuver upon ones self for much the same reason that it is difficult to slap, cut, or otherwise hurt one's self--the natural instinct against the self-infliction of pain. However, one must do what is possible to ensure that the necessary force is used, because consciousness will quickly fail in conditions of hypoxia, as with tracheal blockage. To fall unconscious in a room alone with a blocked air passage is, needless to say, unlikely to be resolved with a positive outcome. Proper instruction in CPR technique and official certification may allow you further practice with the Heimlich maneuver as it is practiced both upon one's self and upon others. Seek out health and safety programs in your community for more information on certification and training courses designed to instruct the community in safety technique. Heimlich maneuver on self www.umm.edu/ency/article/001983.htm Heimlich maneuver www.umm.edu/ency/article/000047.htm |
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Wed, July 2, 2008 - 9:03 AM
Manuevers worth knowing.
Will, I'm happy to hear your OK...and that there was someone there to do the maneuver... I have taken First Aid and believe I help someone choking.. I'm just not sure I could perform CPR correctly. I should take the CPR class again... it realy can save lives. I'm also concerned about lack of emergency care afer an earthquake which is why I took the First Aid class...I'd like to think I could patch up cuts and scrapes..and splint an arm or a leg.
I do take Eathquake preparedness a bit more seriously than most people I know. By the way, the illustratin of Canine Heimlich is pretty hilarious and yet I'm sure it probably works just fine. |
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Wed, July 2, 2008 - 9:46 AM
Dont forget about the time you were driving with me and you choked on a bagel,while driving.You acted like it was no problem,but I was high as fuck and totally panicked.Pretty funny in hindsight...
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Wed, July 2, 2008 - 2:31 PM
OMFG, Gabe! That counts at least as time two-and-a-half! Thanks for the reminder--those were the daze....
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