Most of the time, choking is mild and, therefore, in these cases it is advised:
- Ask the person to cough hard 5 times; Hit 5 times in the middle of the back, keeping the hand open and in a quick movement from the bottom up.
However, if this does not work, or if the choking is more severe, such as what happens when eating soft foods such as meat or bread, the Heimlich maneuver, which consists of:
- Stand behind the victim, who should also be standing, as shown in image 1; Wrap your arms around the person's torso; Clench the fist of the hand that has the most strength and place it, with the knuckle, over the mouth of the victim's stomach, which is between the ribs, as in image 2; place the other hand over the hand with the clenched fist; apply pressure with the hands against the person's stomach, inward and upward, as if you were to draw a comma, as shown in image 3.
See what to do for babies and children under 2 years old.
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 applied to children under 2 years old or pregnant. After this procedure it is normal for the person to start coughing, so it is important to let him cough, as it is the best way to avoid suffocation.
Watch how to proceed in case of choking:
What to do if nothing works
If after the maneuver, the person is still choking and unable to breathe for more than 30 seconds, it is recommended to call medical help, calling 192. During this time, you can keep the Heimlich maneuver or try to turn the person over upside down and try to shake it so that the piece that is choking moves and lets the air pass.
If it is safe, and if the person is not gritting their teeth, you can try to put the index finger through the mouth up to the throat, in order to try to pull the object or rest of food that is stuck. However, it is possible that the victim tends to close his mouth tightly, which can result in wounds and cuts in his hand.
If in the meantime the person passes out and stops breathing, one 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 when choking alone
In cases where you are alone and a cough is not helping, you can take the following steps:
- Stay in the position of 4 supports, with your knees and hands on the floor; Remove the support from both arms at the same time, stretching them forward; Let the trunk fall towards the ground quickly, to push the air out of the lungs.
Ideally, this maneuver should be done on a carpet, but on a smooth and hard surface. However, it can be done directly on the floor, because although there is a risk of breaking a rib, it is an emergency maneuver that can help save life.
Another option is to perform the maneuver on a high counter, supporting the weight of the body with the arms stretched on the counter and then dropping the trunk on the counter with force.
