sf wrote:
>
> You need the Heimlich if you *can't* do something like swallow or
> breathe. It happened to me once. I had something stuck in my throat,
> I could breathe in, but couldn't exhale. It was scary, but I lived to
> tell the tale.


Thanks. I was going to elaborate. This is one of those situations
where a little knowledge can be dangerous. People get the idea that
giving the Heimlich maneuvre is as simple as punching someone in the
stomach. Knowing when it's appropriate is at least as important as
doing it right.


If a person is coughing, they don't need the Heimlich. That means air
is going out. If air is going out, air is going in. The person is
breathing. They need time and space, the chance to cough, maybe water,
but they should be fine. Stay near in case they do need emergency care,
but that's it.


The Heimlich is based on an obstruction in the throat. The idea is to
punch the air which is in the lungs anyway out with enough force to
remove the obstruction. Someone with a full obstruction can't breathe,
can't talk. They'll usually look distressed and motion to their throat.
That's when you calmly walk behind them, put your arms around, find
the place where the ribs join, and make the quick jab upward movement.


Another example of the little knowledge problem is when people get the
idea to deliver mouth-to-mouth. If there's an obstruction, air isn't
going in or out. Trying to blow air in runs the risk of pushing the
obstruction down further. Bad idea.


--Lia