Unconscious but breathing – the recovery position
The recovery position is for people who do not respond but are breathing normally. It lets blood, vomit or saliva drain out of the mouth instead of getting into the lungs.
First: call for help
Shout for help and have someone call the emergency number (144 in Austria, 112 in Germany). If you are alone, call yourself.
Step by step
- Bend the arm: Kneel next to the person and straighten their legs. Place the arm nearest to you at a right angle, palm facing up.
- Hand to the cheek: Take the far hand by the wrist, bring it across the chest and place the back of the hand against the cheek nearest to you. Hold it there.
- Raise the leg: Grip the far thigh and bend the leg at the knee.
- Roll towards you: Pull on the bent leg so the person rolls onto their side towards you. Position the upper leg so the hip is bent at a right angle.
- Open the airway: Tilt the head back and open the mouth slightly. Adjust the hand under the cheek so the neck stays stretched.
The mouth should be the lowest point so fluids can drain.
Afterwards
- Stay with the person, cover them and talk to them – even if they do not respond.
- Keep checking whether they are breathing normally.
- If normal breathing stops: turn the person onto their back and start CPR.
The recovery position helps, for example, after a seizure, with heatstroke or with a stroke – then lay the person on the paralysed side.