Comments on: How to Perform the Heimlich Maneuver in 6 Different Situations

By: Jason

Jason — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 08:18:08 +0000

As a cashier, I successfully performed the Heimlich maneuver on a toddler. The hispanic parent slapped her child on the back a few times, then she waited.

To my horror, I watched as the toddler’s face turned to the color of a bright red tomato. Luckily, I have recently successfully completed the Emergency Care Basic Life Support course by the EMTA (www.minutesmeanlife.com). I am glad I took that course. It took me 7 abdominal thrusts on the child until the object came out.

The class I took advises against giving back blows, unless you are dealing with an infant in which case you pick the baby up like a football just like what is shown in this article above.

Other schools might be teaching 5 back slaps to 5 abdominal thrusts, but I’m not sure.

By the way, the the xyphoid process is found only in males, not in females. Breaking the xyphoid wouldn’t kill a person, it would just be very painful. Choking does kill 3000 people per year however.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 03:00:47 +0000

Yes, I successfully performed heimlich twice on my 10 year old Jack Russell terrier and finished up with mouth-to-snout resuscitation. My fault that I’d allowed the jumping fool a swiss cheese 0.5 inch cubed. Poor dog immediately began running in circles, jumped onto the bed and eventually collapsed onto the floor from my wife’s side of the bed–flaccid! My spouse thought this a hilarious new parlor trick and damn near turned blue from laughing. The dogs tongue was deeply cyanotic. Went through upper abdominal thrusts without result, attempted mouth to snout (unable to move air-obviously still obstructed). Mouth-to-snout did get my wife’s attention though. I know it’s not taught anymore but I resorted to finger sweep at the full depth of my index finger and was able to remove about 1/3 of cube and mouth to snout successfully expanded chest with resultant passive expiration. Dog resumed spontaneous stertorous respirations then obstructed again. Repeated abdominal thrust without success and learned important lesson. Do not finger sweep until dog unconscious and flaccid. This was not a reflex bite; he was pissed. Was able to again hook portion of cheese at extreme tip of reach and this time roll out of glottis and mouth. A couple more puffs and respiration resumed. Dog became responsive within seconds and settled down to a resp rate of about 60/min(suspect negative pressure pulmonary edema) which resolved overnight. With a Jack Russell one never knows if they’re “all there” or not, but he does seem to know his name and can still play a dead Ole Miss Rebel.

By: crystal

crystal — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 07:15:57 +0000

I had to perform the heimlich on my 16 month old…just as explained…and it worked well! he stuffed too many pieces of soft food down his throat (safe foods of course)…heimlich worked and he was well! thanks for the info on dogs! I hope that people know that you should not be feeding your dogs poultry bones…they splinter

By: John Perkins

John Perkins — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 18:52:04 +0000

It’s often articles like this that drive us to being more emergency prepared in all aspects. I became CPR trained a a couple years ago.

By: CPR Courses Winnipeg

CPR Courses Winnipeg — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 07:13:56 +0000

Its is a good idea have a break and get CPR traning because CPR traning is very necessary for everyone and ready for emergency.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:21:53 +0000

I am 42 and have choked 4 times in my life. I know….crazy huh? Lucky me!! : ) Believe me, its NO fun and to be honest it has even affected what I will eat now. There are certain foods that I love that I will not eat. I try to focus on things like yogurt, oatmeal, cream of wheat, and even some baby foods. It is an absolutely terrifying experience and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Of all the times I choked only one time did someone perform the Heimlich on me. The Heimlich is also a terrifying thing to go through. One commenter mentioned how her brother was fighting her off while she was doing the Heimlich on him and that is exactly what I was doing!! It hurts to have this done because it really is done with a lot of force if the item doesnt come out right away. I’ve even heard during my EMT training that sometimes people will break a rib while doing the maneuver if the item will not dislodge. The theory being its easier to deal with a broken rib (so long as it doesnt puncture a lung!!) than to choke to death. All 4 times I couldnt breath at all in or out nor speak nor make any sound. Two of the times I had to slam my hands on a table repeatedly to get someones attention. The first time I choked I was playing cards with my brother and step father. They were drinking alcohol and I had been eating chips. I suddenly realized I couldn’t breath and instantly panicked. It always seems to happen when you have no breath in your lungs. I think sometimes when people think about “choking” just in general they think you have this big gust of air in your lungs like your going to hold your breath however, in my case anyhow, it has always happened when I had no air to begin with (as if you exhale almost all of the air in your lungs and THEN begin to choke). I thought it strange because you would think you would automatically reach for your throat but I kept putting my hands on my chest as if to reach for my lungs. The 1st time I choked with my brother and step father, my brother looked at me and said “she’s just joking around!” and continued doing whatever he was doing, so I pounded on the table harder, he finally came over and starts rubbing my back “you okay?” I shaking my head back and forth finally he says to my step father “I think shes really in trouble!” so he came over and performed the maneuver on me. I began panicking even more thinking that since it was hurting so much that he was doing it wrong plus he was drinking. He repeated the thrusts over and over and nothing was happening. I remember all I was doing was trying to get away because of how uncomfortable it was. Finally a very small airway was set free, I could get air in but barely and I was making these really strange noises, my whole body was shaking like crazy but eventually I was able to clear a sufficient airway and it felt so good to just “breath”. That was the first time I choked and although each time its been absolutely terrifying that first time was the worst. I really thought I was going to die.

By: Mary

Mary — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 23:26:20 +0000

I had to use the heimlick maneaver on my son who was at the time 4years old. He was choking on a banana. I saw it on a show I use to watch. Called E.R. and it saved my child life. Three thurst and it came.

By: Lora White

Lora White — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 04:17:26 +0000

I did one on my mother, and i had never done it before, but i seemed to do everything right, that was listed above. And my mother is ok. and it was dislodged. The only time i had seen it done was on T,v., i guess that’s where i learned it.

By: Jacki

Jacki — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 20:28:08 +0000

My husband is a big guy and I have had to do this two and attempted a third time…I wasn’t able to get my arms around him so my son-in-law was able to.. My daughter has said if this was to happen again I could lay him on the floor and straddle him and do the maneuver. do you agree?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Jacki.
Ps. I love ur sight and always scroll down till I find URS!!!!!

By: Glenn of California

Glenn of California — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 15:51:08 +0000

I have to wonder if the Australians use an alternative rescue method?
“I’d like to dislodge that obstruction mate but first you’re going to have to show me some convincing scientific proof it works better than me just watching you choke to death.”