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    Heimlich Maneuver Notes

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    The Heimlich maneuver is a first aid procedure used to expel objects obstructing the airway of a choking person. It involves applying sudden pressure to the diaphragm area to force air from the lungs and dislodge the object. The document provides detailed instructions for performing the maneuver on conscious or unconscious adults, pregnant women, infants, and oneself. It stresses the importance of seeking medical help after use and recommends training videos to learn the proper technique.

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    Heimlich Maneuver Notes

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    351 views4 pages
    The Heimlich maneuver is a first aid procedure used to expel objects obstructing the airway of a choking person. It involves applying sudden pressure to the diaphragm area to force air from the lungs and dislodge the object. The document provides detailed instructions for performing the maneuver on conscious or unconscious adults, pregnant women, infants, and oneself. It stresses the importance of seeking medical help after use and recommends training videos to learn the proper technique.

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    HEIMLICH MANEUVER NOTES

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    The Heimlich maneuver is a first aid procedure used to expel objects obstructing the airway of a choking person. It involves applying sudden pressure to the diaphragm area to force air from the lungs and dislodge the object. The document provides detailed instructions for performing the maneuver on conscious or unconscious adults, pregnant women, infants, and oneself. It stresses the importance of seeking medical help after use and recommends training videos to learn the proper technique.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    351 views4 pages

    Heimlich Maneuver Notes

    Uploaded by

    oji
    The Heimlich maneuver is a first aid procedure used to expel objects obstructing the airway of a choking person. It involves applying sudden pressure to the diaphragm area to force air from the lungs and dislodge the object. The document provides detailed instructions for performing the maneuver on conscious or unconscious adults, pregnant women, infants, and oneself. It stresses the importance of seeking medical help after use and recommends training videos to learn the proper technique.

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    Heimlich Maneuver

    What is the Heimlich maneuver?


    Each year, many people die from choking on objects that obstruct their airways and
    cause suffocation. Choking is in fact the fourth leading cause of unintentional death.
    However, there is a simple technique you can use to help expel a trapped object from
    another person’s airway. You can even use a version of this technique on yourself.

    The technique is called the Heimlich maneuver, or abdominal thrusts. Abdominal


    thrusts lift your diaphragm and expel air from your lungs. This causes the foreign
    object to be expelled from your airway. The Red Cross also recommends including
    five back blows, although some institutes, such as the American Heart Association,
    don’t teach this technique.

    How to perform the Heimlich


    maneuver
    The steps you need to perform a Heimlich maneuver depend on who you’re aiding:

    ● another person who isn’t pregnant or an infant (under a year old)


    ● a pregnant woman or an infant
    ● yourself

    Regardless of whom you perform the maneuver on, that person should still get
    medical help afterward. This is to ensure no physical damage has occurred to their
    throat and airways.

    On someone other than a pregnant woman or an


    infant
    Determine whether you need to perform abdominal thrusts. If a person who appears to
    be choking is conscious and coughing, they may be able to dislodge the object on their
    own. Administer first aid if the person is:

    ● not coughing
    ● unable to speak or breathe
    ● signaling for help, typically by holding their hands around their throat

    First, if there’s a bystander, have them call 911 (or your local emergency phone
    number) for emergency help. If you’re the only person present, begin first aid
    treatment:

    1. Get the person to stand up.


    2. Position yourself behind the person.
    3. Lean the person forward and give five blows to their back with the heel of your
    hand.
    4. Place your arms around their waist.
    5. Make a fist and place it just above the navel, thumb side in.
    6. Grab the fist with your other hand and push it inward and upward at the same
    time. Perform five of these abdominal thrusts.
    7. Repeat until the object is expelled and the person can breathe or cough on their
    own.

    Alternatively, if the person can’t stand up, straddle their waist, facing their head. Push
    your fist inward and upward in the same manner as you would if they were standing.

    On a pregnant woman
    On pregnant women, you need to place your hand a little higher on their torso, around
    the base of their breastbone. If that person is unconscious, place them on their back
    and try to clear the airway with your finger in a sweeping motion. If you can’t remove
    the lodged object, begin performing CPR.
    On an infant
    If the person who is choking is younger than 1 year, you need to follow other steps:

    1. Sit down and hold the infant facedown on your forearm, which should be
    resting on your thigh.
    2. Give five back blows gently with the heel of your hand.
    3. If that doesn’t work, position the infant face up and resting on your forearm and
    thigh so their head is lower than their trunk.
    4. Place two fingers at the center of their breastbone and perform five quick chest
    compressions.
    5. Repeat the back blows and chest thrusts until the object is expelled and the
    infant can breathe or cough on their own.

    On yourself
    If you’re alone and choking, follow these steps:

    1. Make a fist and place it just above your navel, thumb side in.
    2. Grab the fist with your other hand and push it inward and upward at the same
    time. Perform five of these abdominal thrusts.
    3. Repeat until the object is expelled and you can breathe or cough on your own.
    You can also thrust your upper abdomen against a hard edge like the corner of a table
    or counter, or back of a chair.

    Heimlich maneuver videos


    You may find these Heimlich maneuver training videos helpful to watch:

    ● conscious adult
    ● unconscious adult
    ● yourself
    ● infant

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