Important
First Aid skill.
It is important to be able to recognize when someone is
choking. A choking victim usually
coughs and then
instinctively places his hands at his throat. If the victim can cough, encourage him to cough out the blockage. If the victim cannot make a sound, his airway is blocked. Use your fingers to clear away material in his mouth and proceed.
Assuming the
choking victim is still conscious, stand behind him, with arms under his. Make one hand into a fist and press its thumb inwards above the navel and below the bone. Put your other hand around the fist and pull sharply up and towards yourself, four times. Check to see if the blockage is removed. If this didn't work, give 4 sharp blows to the back between the shoulder blades (to help dislodge material) and then repeat the maneuver.
Don't stop!
For a
pregnant woman, put your fist against the breastbone.
You can give yourself a Heimlich Maneuver by pushing against a blunt object (e.g. a chair back).