Every year more than 2,000 people die in Spain from choking, this being the third cause, among unnatural ones, that causes the most deaths, especially in the elderly. For this reason, it is vital to know the protocol to follow if you witness a choking, the Heimlich maneuver being the best ally to act in these situations.
Every year more than 2,000 people die in Spain due to airway obstruction, about 1,120 of them . The Heimlich Maneuver is the best ally in these situations, however, if despite performing the maneuver If the victim becomes unconscious, they should be left on the ground and, if the technique is known, perform basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation until the medical personnel arrive.
The Heimlich maneuver is the best ally to act in choking situations, so it is vital to know it
The instructor in basic life support of HM Hospitales, emilio whiteaffirms that “The person who has suffered a choking can be easily identified as they have difficulty breathing, they put their hands on their necks and they can acquire a bluish coloration”. When we are faced with an airway obstruction there is to think that this can be partial or total
In the case of being partial, stridor can be heard and the victim coughs insistently. “If we are next to a person who presents these symptoms we should encourage victim to continue coughingsince the problem will most likely subside without the need to carry out any other maneuver”clarifies Emilio Blanco.
Emilio Blanco: «To perform the Heimlich maneuver we must stand behind the victim, surrounding her with her arms and leaning her forward. Subsequently, make a fist and place it between the navel and the lower end of the patient’s sternum with the thumb inward. Take the fist with the other hand and forcefully push in and up.
In cases where the obstruction is complete the person will not be able to speak, breathe or cough and will rapidly lose consciousnessso it is very important to act quickly and perform the Heimlich maneuverthat It is very simple to carry out and with a high percentage of effectiveness.
“To do this, we must stand behind the victim, surrounding her with her arms and leaning her forward. Subsequently, make a fist and place it between the navel and the lower end of the patient’s sternum with the thumb inward. Take the fist with the other hand and forcefully push in and up.explains the instructor in basic life support of . If after performing this maneuver a few times the problem persists, call 112.
If the victim is a pregnant woman or an obese person pressure should be applied over the middle third of the sternum. To the infants they should be placed astride the helper’s forearm, holding their jaw, with their head lower than the trunk and apply five pats between the shoulder blades. In case of failure, it will be turned around and five compressions will be applied in the sternal area with the index and middle fingers.
Likewise, in the children up to approximately 5 years you have to stand behind them, kneeling or sitting, and surround them with your arms, just like an adult, locate the solar plexus (just above the pit of the stomach) and begin the maneuver. In these cases it is advisable not to use a closed fist to apply pressure in that area, but to put one hand in the shape of a spoon and help the pressure with the other hand on top.
If, despite carrying out the maneuvers indicated above, the victim becomes unconscious, they should be left on the ground and, if the technique is known, be carried out. basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation until the medical personnel arrive. It is important to remember to avoid searching for foreign objects in the mouth and pharynx blindly, as foreign objects should only be removed if they can be seen.