How do you perform the Heimlich maneuver? Wendy Macias Konstantopoulos, MD, Emergency Medicine Physician at Mass General Brigham, details the steps of the anti-choking emergency protocol known as the Heimlich maneuver. If you suspect someone is choking, first call for emergency help. The Heimlich maneuver should only be used on someone who can’t talk, breathe, or cough. First, try 5 sharp blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of the hand. If that doesn’t dislodge the airway obstruction, stand behind the choking person and thrust inwards and upwards above the belly button with your fist, where the diaphragm is located. Keep administering 5 back blows and 5 Heimlich abdominal thrusts until help arrives or the person stops choking. Using the Heimlich Maneuver can help save the life of a choking victim.
For more information on how to perform the Heimlich maneuver: https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/heimlich-maneuver
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