First aid; What if someone is choking?

Warning

These tips are general recommendations for an emergency. Not intended to replace professional classes in first aid and resuscitation.

The airway obstruction prevents air and therefore the oxygen it contains into the lungs. Onset is usually sudden and in most cases caused by the entry of a foreign body in the airways.

This problem is much more common in young children as they often put in the mouth all kinds of objects. In adults, most often the blockage is caused by food but can be caused by other objects such as dentures, etc..

The obstruction of the airway may be incomplete or complete. In the case of incomplete obstruction a person may be agitated, with coughing important. Usually the cough causes expulsion of the foreign body being all in a fright. We should not give back blows of the individual and that could cause the foreign body penetrated deeper and establishing a complete obstruction.

On the contrary, when the airway is completely obstructed by a foreign body, the air in the lungs may out so the person can not cough or speak, or breathe. The person is agitated and distressed, many gestures and, characteristically, he puts his hands to his throat.

The best way to address this problem is to use the Heimlich maneuver, which is performed as follows: Stand behind the victim, put his arms around her waist and bend the person's body forward.

• Press fist and put it on its inner edge just four fingers above the navel of the subject.
  
  
• Cójase your fist with your other hand.
  
  
• Make a strong pressure inward and upward.
  
  
• Release the pressure, keeping the position of the hands and repeat the maneuver until the object stuck in the throat is expelled through the mouth.
  
  

If you yourself who is choking, place a fist on his belly and one hand on top. Push ahead with the first hand to the stomach. Repeat until the object stuck in the throat is expelled through the mouth.