The Heimlich maneuver is a lifesaving method you can do on someone who is choking, or on yourself if you’re choking and alone. It's also called abdominal thrusts.

How to do the Heimlich maneuver — and when to avoid it The first-aid method varies for adults, babies and yourself, Mass General Brigham reports. By Angelica Stabile Fox News.

The Heimlich maneuver uses abdominal thrusts to force objects out of the throat. Underneath the lungs is a muscle called the diaphragm. This muscle contracts to move the lungs, helping them exhale ...

The Heimlich maneuver should be altered for toddlers and children younger than five years old or weighing less than 45 pounds. First, kneel behind the child to get down to their level.

Make a fist with one hand and place the thumb side against your abdomen just above your navel. Pull your fist inward and upward with force. (It should be intense enough to hurt.) Continue thrusting ...

It turns out, the Heimlich maneuver is not the only approach – and it may not even be the best one. Repeated blows to the back could be equally useful in a dangerous situation.

I'm doing the Heimlich maneuver. If I'm in a situation where it's just me and another person, I'm going to do the Heimlich maneuver. Scot: Okay. Dr. Madsen: But then if it gets to a point where you ...

But if the Heimlich maneuver is performed incorrectly, it can do serious harm. "If you aren’t able to dislodge the foreign object after the first few sets of thrusts, problems can occur," Cuba said.