You’ve probably had the experience of food “going down the wrong pipe,” causing you to cough and gasp while trying to catch your breath. But what do you do when it happens to someone who can’t catch their breath? Do you know what to do if someone is choking?
The National Safety Council estimates that thousands of people die from choking each year, several of whom are children or adults over age 74.
“Choking blocks the airways and keeps air from reaching the lungs, which in turn keeps air from reaching other parts of the body,” says Kevin Kremer, RN, emergency department director at Beaufort Memorial. “The brain needs oxygen to function, and without it, brain damage can occur in as little as four minutes. Knowing the right way to respond to choking could save somebody’s life.”
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How to Save Someone From Choking
“If the person choking is coughing forcefully, the cough might be enough to dislodge the object causing them to choke,” Kremer says. “Encourage the person to keep coughing and ask if they can talk. If they can talk, emergency help isn’t necessary.”
If the person can’t speak, ask if they are choking. If they nod or somehow otherwise indicate they are choking, use abdominal thrusts, also called the Heimlich maneuver, in addition to calling for emergency help.
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The Heimlich Maneuver: How to Help Someone Choking
Only perform the Heimlich maneuver on individuals whose life is endangered because of choking caused by windpipe obstruction. If someone can speak, cough or breathe, the Heimlich maneuver is unnecessary.
To perform the Heimlich maneuver:
- Stand behind the person with one leg forward between their legs. Reach your hands around the person’s waist.
- Place your fist on the person’s stomach, just above their navel, with your thumb on the person’s stomach. With your other hand, grasp your fist.
- Quickly and sharply, pull your clenched fists upward and inward, below the ribcage. Do this until the person spits out the object causing them to choke, or until emergency help arrives.
If the person choking loses consciousness, or is conscious but can’t make noise, call 911 before administering first aid. Even if abdominal thrusts dislodge the object the person choked on, an emergency room visit or follow up appointment with a physician is necessary.
It’s usually easy to tell when life-threatening emergencies, such as choking, need immediate care.
When you’re not sure if it’s an emergency, call or visit one of our Beaufort Memorial Express Care & Occupational Health clinics in Bluffton, Okatie and Port Royal.