Quick Facts

THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER® FOR ASTHMA

• Acute asthma attacks kill 14 people every day, including many children.
• More than 17 million Americans suffer from asthma, with deaths exceeding 5,000 every year.
• According to the American Lung Association, adult onset asthma cases are rising in this country. By 2020, asthma cases could rise to 29 million, or 1 in 14 Americans.
• Asthma attacks consist of prolonged spells of wheezing and shortness of breath that can be fatal. They occur when muscles surrounding the airway contract, narrowing small air passages in the lungs, the lining of which is chronically swollen and inflamed. Mucus fills the narrowed airway, and acts as a valve. When the asthmatic breathes in, the airway opens and air flows around the plugs into the lungs. On exhaling, the plugs clog the narrowed airway and air cannot get out. Trapped air distends the lungs, making both inhaling and exhaling difficult. The asthmatic cannot breathe in or out, or inhale medications.

A simple solution
The Heimlich Maneuver has long been used to save the lives of choking and drowning victims worldwide. Research has now proven it to be effective for asthma. The Heimlich Maneuver stops asthma attacks, and even prevents them, according to Henry J. Heimlich, M.D., founder of The Heimlich Institute and inventor of the lifesaving technique.

In performing the Heimlich Maneuver, you press up on the diaphragm. This action gently compresses the lungs, causing the trapped air to flow out through the airway, carrying away the mucous plugs, ending the asthma attack and allowing the individual to breathe freely. When performed on asthmatics, the Heimlich Maneuver is done very smoothly, because air and mucus are being expelled, not a solid object or water. Patients are using the Heimlich Maneuver on themselves to prevent attacks, as well as to stop them.

Educating the public about using the Heimlich Maneuver for asthma is critical. In one year, 22 children died in a New York City hospital emergency room as a result of asthma attacks, despite the insertion of breathing tubes and injections of medications. Using the Heimlich Maneuver reduces the need for asthma drugs, which are costly and can cause deadly reactions.