Heimlich maneuver

Heimlich Maneuver.

The Heimlich Abdominal Shock Method (foreign name: Heimlich Maneuver) is a first aid method for removing foreign body blockage (choking) from the upper airway, invented by American physician Mr. Heimlich. The first time the method was used in 1974, Dr. Heimlich used the method to successfully rescue a patient who suffocated due to food blockage of the airway, and since then the method has been widely used around the world and is known as the “embrace of life”.


The principle is to use the impact of the abdomen, generating upward pressure, compression of the lower part of the two lungs, thus driving the lungs residual air to form a stream of air will be driven out of the throat foreign body.

The first aider stands behind the patient and wraps both hands around the patient's waist. One hand makes a fist and rests against the choking person's abdomen above the navel. The other hand holds the fist and rapidly presses upward until the foreign body is expelled.