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Please call 911 immediately if you are having chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, sudden weakness or numbness, or if you think you have a medical emergency.
Choking Rescue Procedure (Heimlich Maneuver) - Adult or Child Older Than 1 Year
If the person can cough or make sounds, let him or her cough to try to get the object out. If you are worried about the person's breathing, call911.
If the person can't breathe, cough, or make sounds, then:
- Stand or kneel behind the person and wrap your arms around his or her waist. If the person is standing, place one of your legs between his or her legs so you can support the person if he or she faints.
- Make a fist with one hand. Place the thumb side of your fist against the person's belly, just above the belly button but well below the breastbone. See picture A.
- Grasp your fist with the other hand. Give a quick upward thrust into the belly. This may cause the object to pop out. You may need to use more force for a large person and less for a child or small adult. See picture B.
- Repeat thrusts until the object pops out or the person faints.
Illustration copyright 2002 Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.nucleusinc.com
Picture A
Picture B
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
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