The first step in this life-saving method is to determine if a person is truly choking. Identifying this is important because if a person is choking and someone does not realize then that person dies from the obstruction. There are few calling signs one can look for to determine if someone is choking, initially you would see their hands around their neck, they cannot speak, and they have an inability to cough. After an extended period choking, one would see loss of consciousness, blue or gray lips, and fingernail beds. No matter what time stage of choking …show more content…
This helps to eliminate the panic that the person is in from this unnatural phenomenon. By eliminating the panic, it is then easier for you to perform the rest of the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the obstruction. Now that you have calmed the person down you can assist them to the standing for easier removal of the lodged item. If however, the person is unable, given the circumstance, to stand up the rest of the maneuver, it can be performed in a sitting position once the rescuers hands have a clear area to perform the hand