How do you open the airway if neck/spine injury is not suspected?

How do you open the airway if neck/spine injury is not suspected?

• A. Jaw-thrust
• B. Look, listen, and feel for breathing
• C. Head-tilt/Chin lift
• D. Mouth-to-mouth

Answer: (C)

Opening the airway when neck or spine injury isn’t suspected is best done with a head-tilt, chin-lift. Gently tilt the head back and lift the chin to move the tongue away from the back of the throat, clearing the airway so air can pass into the lungs. This method is quick and works well for most non-injured individuals. Jaw-thrust is designed to minimize movement of the head and neck and is reserved for cases where a spinal injury is suspected; since that isn’t the situation here, it isn’t needed. Looking, listening, and feeling for breathing is an assessment step to check if the person is breathing, not a way to open the airway by itself. You’d do this after opening the airway to determine if you need to provide rescue breaths. Mouth-to-mouth involves delivering breaths, but you must first open the airway; it is not a technique for opening the airway itself.

Opening the airway when neck or spine injury isn’t suspected is best done with a head-tilt, chin-lift. Gently tilt the head back and lift the chin to move the tongue away from the back of the throat, clearing the airway so air can pass into the lungs. This method is quick and works well for most non-injured individuals.

Jaw-thrust is designed to minimize movement of the head and neck and is reserved for cases where a spinal injury is suspected; since that isn’t the situation here, it isn’t needed.

Looking, listening, and feeling for breathing is an assessment step to check if the person is breathing, not a way to open the airway by itself. You’d do this after opening the airway to determine if you need to provide rescue breaths.

Mouth-to-mouth involves delivering breaths, but you must first open the airway; it is not a technique for opening the airway itself.