The Heimlich maneuver is a method of helping a choking person by reaching around from behind and applying abrupt pressure just under their rib cage. Giving someone the Heimlich maneuver might save their life!
The American doctor Henry Heimlich is credited with inventing this lifesaving technique, which was named after him in 1975. Before its creation, rescuers were limited to backslaps when attempting to help someone who was choking on food or another object. Today, the protocol for a choking victim is first to tell them to try coughing; to give hard slaps on the back while they're leaning forward; and finally, to give the abdominal thrusts of the Heimlich maneuver.