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| |  Heimlich Maneuver Stops Asthma Attacks CINCINNATI, Oct. 7, 1996 -- The Heimlich Maneuver has been found to be life saving in asthma attacks, and may prevent them. The discovery was made by numerous asthma patients and their families, who reported its effectiveness to the Heimlich Institute in Cincinnati, headed by Dr. Henry Heimlich, after whom the maneuver was named. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, more than 15 million Americans suffer from asthma, and nearly 4,000 die from it each year. Asthma attacks, which consist of prolonged spells of wheezing and shortness of breath that can be fatal, occur when muscles surrounding the airways contract, narrowing the air passages, the linings of which are chronically swollen and inflamed. Mucus fills the airway and acts as a valve, i.e., when the asthmatic breathes in, the airway opens up and air slides around mucous plugs. On exhaling, mucous plugs clog narrowed airways and air cannot get out. Trapped stale air distends the lungs, making both inhalation and exhalation difficult. Pushing up on the diaphragm with the Heimlich Maneuver compresses the lungs, expelling trapped air and mucous plugs, thus clearing the airway and ending the asthma attack. Just as choking victims can perform the Heimlich Maneuver on themselves, asthma patients can treat their own attacks or have someone else perform the maneuver on them. The maneuver should be done more gently on asthma patients, particularly children, than on choking or drowning victims. Currently, the Heimlich Institute is studying asthma patients who are performing the maneuver several times a day on themselves, to keep their lungs clear of mucus, preventing both asthma attacks and wheezing. The treatment has been found to diminish or eliminate the need for asthma medications that can cause side reactions in addition to being very costly. The Heimlich Maneuver has been credited with saving the lives of tens of thousands of choking and drowning victims since 1974, when it was first announced in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). "The continued success of the Heimlich Maneuver is very gratifying. This could be a most important breakthrough in improving the lives of the millions of people throughout the world who suffer from asthma," said Dr. Heimlich. Asthma patients who plan to use the Heimlich Maneuver as a treatment should first consult with their physicians.
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