The Heimlich method is used for choking when a person needs immediate help. Usually in this state, the complexion of the victim becomes blue-red, as they say, cyanotic. The person grabs his throat and is unable to speak or inhale air. In such situations, it is very important to know the Heimlich method well. You can also help yourself in this way.
General description of the Heimlich method
What to do if someone chokes next to you? First of all, don't panic. Do the following:
- If the choking person is conscious and on his feet, stand behind him.
- Cover the casu alty with both hands.
- Clench one of the hands in a fist and press the thumb of the fist on the victim's abdomen between the navel and ribs. This area of the abdomen is called the epigastric region.
- Place the palm of the other hand on top of the fist and with a pushing movement upwards press it into the stomach. Fulfillingthis movement, make sure that your arms are bent at the elbows, but at the same time the chest of the victim is not squeezed.
- Repeat the application of the Heimlich method until the airways of the choked person are completely free.
It is important to remember that patting the victim on the back can make the situation worse. An object that a person has choked on can pass through the airways below from claps on the back. A sign that the Heimlich method has worked is that the person can breathe on their own and their complexion has returned to normal.
Heimlich method: a description of the necessary actions if a person is unconscious
If a choked person has lost consciousness or it is not possible to approach him from behind, it is still possible to help him. To help the victim, do the following:
- Put the person on their back.
- Assume a sitting position on the victim, facing their head. Try to sit on your hips so as not to put too much pressure on the chest and abdomen of the person needing help.
- Put your hands on top of each other. In this case, the lower hand should be located between the navel and the ribs of the choking person.
- Pressing with the whole body, make active pushes in the epigastric region of the victim in an upward direction.
- Make sure the victim's head is looking straight ahead and not turned to the side.
- Repeat your movements until the person starts breathing on their own.
- If the person you are helping still doesn't come to, thenperform cardiopulmonary resuscitation until the arrival of doctors. A medical examination will be necessary for the victim in case of restoration of breathing and consciousness.
Heimlich method for foreign bodies in the respiratory tract in children
If a child chokes and cannot breathe, the following actions must be taken:
- Lay the injured child on their back on the floor.
- Kneel at his feet.
- Place the middle and index fingers of both your hands on the baby's belly between the navel and costal arch.
- Make an active pressure movement towards the diaphragm of the child up.
- Make sure that the chest is free, does not feel pressure.
- Must be repeated until airway is clear.
Helping young children
There is another method of helping a choking child, especially for younger children.
Done like this:
- Lay your baby face down with their face in your palm and their feet on opposite sides of your forearms.
- Lightly pat the baby on the back between the shoulder blades with the palm of your hand until the airway is clear.
If this method fails, continue to help with the first Heimlich technique. If the child does not return to consciousness and does not breathe, cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be started before the arrival of doctors. After choking on the child, the doctor conducts an examination and, upon successful disposal of the foreignbody.
Help yourself with the Heimlich method
If you find yourself in this situation yourself and there is no one nearby who could help you, you must do the following:
- Clench your hand into a fist and with the side where your thumb is, attach it to the stomach between the ribs and the navel.
- Place the palm of the second hand over the fist.
- Active push pushes the fist up to the diaphragm.
- Repeat these steps until you can breathe easier.
There is also the Heimlich method with a chair for self-help. To perform this option, you need to lean on a chair, railing or table corner, in a word, on a securely standing object with your stomach, and perform pushes in an upward direction. After self-care, a medical examination is required.
Features of performing the Heimlich maneuver when drowning
The most important thing to remember when helping a drowned person is that as long as there is water in the lungs, air cannot enter.
If the victim is on the ground, we provide assistance in the following order:
- Turn the person on their back.
- He needs to turn his head to the side so that water flows out of his mouth.
- Sit on the hips of the person in need, facing their head.
- Fold your hands on top of each other, with the palm of your lower hand rest on the epigastric region of the drowned man.
- Pushing the weight of yourbody, perform active pushing movements towards the victim's face.
If the victim is in a standing position in a pool or in shallow water, we perform a set of rescue actions in this order:
- Stand behind the person in need, wrap your arms around him.
- Clench one of the hands in a fist and with the thumb of the fist press down on the victim's abdomen between the navel and ribs, the epigastric region.
- Place the palm of the other hand on top of the fist and with a pushing movement upwards press it into the stomach. While doing this movement, make sure that your arms are bent at the elbows, but at the same time the chest of the victim is not squeezed.
- Repeat the application of the Heimlich method until the respiratory tract of the swallowed person is completely freed, that is, until the water stops pouring out of the victim's mouth.
- If the above fails, begin CPR before the ambulance arrives.
- The doctor will need to examine the victim in any case.
It is important to remember that a person's weight in the water is less than their weight on land due to the buoyancy of the water.
In order to perfectly master the Heimlich maneuver, it is necessary to conduct training sessions on the rehabilitation of victims using a mannequin.
