Why YSK:
Despite choking being an emergency, until recently there has been limited high-quality evidence to guide bystanders on the most effective way to help. Techniques like abdominal thrusts (formerly known as the Heimlich maneuver), back blows and chest compressions or thrusts have existed since the mid-1900s but, until recently, recommendations were largely based on case reports rather than rigorous scientific data. This evidence gap is dangerous.
Bystander response is the primary driver of a choking person’s outcome, so ensuring people know the safest and most effective way to care for a choking person can save lives.
Please see the article for the full piece, it’s not long.
Article authors:
- Cody Dunne - Emergency Medicine Physician and PhD Candidate, University of Calgary
- Andrew McRae - Associate Professor, Departments of Emergency Medicine and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary
- Khara Sauro - Associate professor, Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, University of Calgary
If you need more motivation to open the article, here is an interesting fact:
New research suggests back blows cleared choking obstructions in 72 per cent of cases, superior to both abdominal thrusts (59 per cent) and chest thrusts (27 per cent).
I had a surreal experience once. I was at a busy, casual restaurant at a booth, sitting across from my wife. There was a lady eating alone at a booth a little way behind my wife, and I noticed she looked kind of distressed - looking around like she was trying to catch a waiter - but she seemed to be getting more panicked looking and her face didn’t look right. I got up and went over and said “Are you chocking?” and she looked at me with big eyes and nodded. I asked if she wanted me to try and help and she said yes and stood up. I never learned how to do the Heimlich except from TV shows, but seemed worth a try, so I did what I remembered, and she coughed up a piece of chicken. She looked really embarrassed and said “Thank you.” I said I was glad to help and went back to my seat. No one in the place noticed a thing except for my wife.
That was too awkwardly casual of everyone. I would’ve at least given you a high five!
We’re such weird creatures. That woman was choking to death and she was too shy to ask for help and too embarrassed after to say much of anything.
Might have been shock on her part. I choked in a restaurant before on a peppermint and my mom saved me with abdominal thrusts but I was really shaken up afterwards from how scary it got and couldn’t really react much for a while afterwards