It is a terrifying prospect for those who live alone: What happens if you start choking?
Now, one medic has offered a vital hack that she says may well save your life if you get food stuck down the wrong way.
Dr Alpa Kumar, a GP of 17 years, shared the advice in a clip posted to Instagram, alongside the caption ‘this video could save your life’.
The first step, if you’re near enough to a phone, is to call 999 and turn on loudspeaker so you can hear the emergency services while keeping your hands free.
Dr Kumar then advised ‘coughing forcefully’ in a bid to dislodge the food or other obstruction that is blocking the airway.
If this fails, she recommended preparing to perform the self-Heimlich manoeuvre.
This follows the same principals as a normal Heimlich manoeuvre: A person stands behind someone who is choking, places their hands below their ribcage and pulls inward and upward to force air out of the lungs.
This is designed to expel whatever is causing the blockage.
For a self-Heimlich version, Dr Kumar advised taking one hand and placing it just above the belly button, ensuring the thumb of that hand is resting below the rib cage, forming a fist.
Next, take the other hand and grab the fist before thrusting sharply and quickly upwards and repeating the motion.
Dr Alpa Kumar, a GP of 17 years, shared exactly what you should do if caught in this situation, in a clip on social media stating ‘this video could save your life’
An alternative method follows the same hand placement but instead sees patients forcefully press the abdomen directly against a stationary object like a chair or a countertop.
British research, in which experts swallowed special sensors to monitor the effectiveness of the self-Heimlich, found it equally likely to be successful as the traditional Heimlich manouvre.
Dr Kumar said to continue the self-Heimlich until either the blockage is cleared or help arrives.
But even if the debris is dislodged via this method, Dr Kumar said patients should follow up the incident with their family doctor to check for potential injuries.
While the Heimlich manoeuvre can be a lifesaver, the forceful movements can also potentially cause injuries like broken ribs and even holes in internal organs.
Social media users praised Dr Kumar’s life-saving advice.
‘This is so important to know. Thanks for sharing,’ one wrote.
‘This should be on everyone’s feed,’ another added.
Dr Kumar also reassured her 21,000 followers that the ‘choking’ man who featured in the demonstration she shared was an actor pretending to be in a life-threatening situation.
Choking kills an estimated 300 people in Britain every year, official data suggests.
When a person chokes oxygen is prevented from entering the airway and reaching vital organs like the brain.
Medics say this can kill in as little as four minutes.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
