Thursday, July 29, 2010

Help! I'm choking! Does someone know the Heimlich maneuver?

You've seen it done in movies. You probably did it when you were playing doctor as a kid (and on this note, I would like to apologize to my little sister who is still traumatized from our childhood fun, which ended in spit up Twizzlers).

But do you really know how to do the Heimlich maneuver?

Yesterday, on Good Morning America, senior health and medical editor, Dr. Richard Besser demonstrated how to save a choking victim - whether that person is an adult, a pregnant woman or a child.


After you are educated on the Heimlich maneuver, run down to your local American Red Cross chapter and take a first aid and CPR class. You'll learn how to treat wounds, save someone from choking and... you guessed it, how to save a life.

at 8:42 PM

1 comment:

  1. AnonymousJuly 30, 2010 at 4:16 AM

    http://www.redcross.org/flash/brr/English-html/conscious-choking.asp

    If you encounter a conscious, choking individual that is coughing, encourage continued coughing. If the victim is unable to cough, speak, or breathe, complete the following:

    * Send someone to call 9-1-1.
    * Lean person forward and give 5 back blows with heel of your hand.
    * Give 5 quick abdominal thrusts by placing the thumbside of your fist against the middle of the victim's abdomen, just above the navel. Grab your fist with the other hand.
    * Repeat until the object the person is choking on is forced out and person breathes or coughs on his or her own.

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