Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
1. Monitor ABCs.
2. Do not give fluids.
3. Call EMS.
4. Do not move the victim unless absolutely necessary.
Choking
The symptoms of choking are easily recognized—clutching at the throat, staring eyes, face
contorted. If the person is coughing or making significant breathing sounds, his or her own ef-
forts to clear the blockage stand a better chance than your intervention, which might cause the
blockage to lodge more deeply. Remember that a person who is choking can hear you even
though she or he is unable to speak. Ask the person if he or she is choking
. If the person is un-
able to answer, and there are no breathing sounds or only a high-pitched squeaky noise, the
blockage is life threatening. Begin abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) immediately.
Heimlich Maneuver (Abdominal Thrusts)
1. Stand or kneel behind the victim and wrap your arms around the midsection.
2. Make a fist with one hand and grab the outside of the fist with the other hand. The thumb side
of the fist should be touching the victim's belly, just above the belly button and well below the
breastbone.
3. With elbows out, vigorously thrust your fist upward into the victim's belly, attempting to force air
through the windpipe to blow the obstruction from the windpipe.
4. After four abdominal thrusts, try four sharp blows between the shoulders to dislodge the obstruc-
tion followed by more abdominal thrusts. Do not give up! Be prepared to give artificial respira-
tion if the victim passes out.
Note
: You can perform abdominal thrusts on yourself with your fists or against an object, such as a
chair or stump.
