What to Do If You Start to Choke: Step-by-Step Heimlich Maneuver Guide
Learn how to act quickly when choking alone or with someone else using the Heimlich maneuver to save your life.
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If you start to choke, it's important to act swiftly. If you're alone, try to perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself by pressing your abdomen quickly upwards against a hard object like the back of a chair. If someone is with you, communicate that you're choking and need them to perform the Heimlich maneuver on you. This involves standing behind you, wrapping their arms around your waist, making a fist with one hand, placing it slightly above your navel, grasping the fist with the other hand, and giving quick, upward thrusts.
FAQs & Answers
- What is the Heimlich maneuver and how does it work? The Heimlich maneuver is a first aid procedure that uses quick upward abdominal thrusts to dislodge an object blocking the airway, helping a choking person breathe again.
- How can I perform the Heimlich maneuver on myself if choking alone? To self-administer the Heimlich maneuver, press your abdomen forcefully against a hard surface like the back of a chair just above your navel and thrust upward quickly to expel the blockage.
- What are the signs that someone is choking and needs help? Signs include inability to speak, difficulty breathing, coughing weakly or silently, and clutching the throat; if a person cannot breathe or talk, immediate action is necessary.