Difficulty breathing Noisy breathing Inability to talk Inability to cough Skin turning blue (called “cyanosis,” which is due to lack of oxygen circulating in the blood) Decreasing level of consciousness
Back blows are a forceful motion with the heel of your hand between the person’s shoulder blades, when he is bending over so that his trunk is at least parallel to the ground (this way, if you successfully dislodge the obstructing object it will fall with gravity out of the victim’s airway). [3] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source The back blows are optional, depending on whether you have been trained how to effectively do these (if not, skip them and do only “abdominal thrusts,” which are described in the next section).
If the victim is sitting or standing, position yourself directly behind her. If the victim is lying down, lay behind her. [4] X Research source If the victim is already unconscious, check for a pulse. If there is no pulse, proceed straight to CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) at a rate of 100 chest compressions per minute. Do not attempt abdominal thrusts at this time (and do not do rescue breaths in this situation as the airway is obstructed). [5] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
If the person is unable to breathe at all, and the Heimlich maneuver is unsuccessful at dislodging the object, proceed to tracheotomy. This is a risky procedure and should only be used as a last resort; if possible, it should be performed by a medical professional.
If you truly have no other option but to perform a tracheotomy, then you should still stay on the phone with emergency services. The dispatcher may be able to talk you through the procedure or put you in contact with someone who can. Having someone on the phone may also help to keep you calm.
To find this, find the Adam’s apple, or larynx. Both men and women have an Adam’s apple, but they are more pronounced on adult men. You may have to feel the victim’s neck to find the Adam’s apple on a woman or a child. Slide your finger down from the Adam’s Apple until you feel another bulge; this is the cricoid cartilage. There is a slight indentation in between the Adam’s Apple and the cricoid cartilage; this is where the incision will be made.
Given the emergency nature of this procedure, it is okay to proceed without formal sterilization. Time is of the essence, and the concern of potential infection can be dealt with when emergency medical personnel arrive. However, if gloves are available — even if they are not sterile — use them to protect yourself from bloodborne diseases like HIV and hepatitis.
You can suck on the straw and see if you get air coming back to you to confirm that it is correctly located in the victim’s airway. A ballpoint pen casing (with the ink-filled tube from the inside removed) is also a good option for a tube.
If the victim is breathing on her own, continue to supervise her and wait for emergency medical personnel to arrive to deal with the situation more definitively. If the victim is not breathing on her own, continue giving breaths and check for a pulse. In the absence of a pulse, proceed to CPR. The cycle for CPR is 30 chest compressions (at a rate of approximately 100 chest compressions per minute) followed by two rescue breaths through the breathing tube. Repeat this cycle approximately five times. If the victim is unresponsive after five cycles, use an AED (automated external defibrillator) if you have been trained how to do so. If not, follow instructions from emergency medical personnel who can give directions over the phone while you await their arrival. [8] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Note that if you are untrained in CPR, the chest compressions are more important than the rescue breaths, so it is okay to do chest compressions only (at a rate of 100/minute) and to omit the breaths until emergency medical personnel arrive. [9] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Remember that doing something is better than nothing, as someone’s life is on the line here!
