You may be well aware of the Heimlich Maneuver and what to do in the instance that someone is choking. While this is fantastic knowledge, do you know what you should do if you find yourself choking and you're all alone? Because you will most likely be overwhelmed by panic when choking, it would be a very good idea to know what you should do ahead of time.
Coughing is one of the first lines of defense against choking - and it is something that upon choking, your body will likely do automatically. After all, when something becomes lodged in your upper airway, your natural reflex is to expel air from your lungs and dislodge it. However, depending on how much of your airway is blocked, coughing might not work. In that case, you would need to find an alternative option to prevent yourself from choking to death.
One option is to self-administer abdominal thrusts. Look for a stationary object such as the back of a chair and push the area just above your navel into it several times. This places upward pressure on your diaphragm, pushing air out of your lungs (hopefully, with enough force to dislodge the object).
However, what should you do if there isn't a chair that you can reach for? The video below demonstrates an effective and simple way to save yourself if you are alone. The video is brought to you by a Fire Fighter/Paramedic ACLS/BLS Instructor. Check it out - be sure to save the video and spread the word too:
