What does the "Heimlich maneuver" aim to alleviate?

The Heimlich maneuver is specifically designed to relieve choking when a person has a foreign object, often food, lodged in their trachea, blocking their airway. This maneuver involves a series of abdominal thrusts that create enough pressure to expel the object, allowing the individual to breathe again.

Choking is an urgent medical condition where airflow is obstructed, which can quickly lead to suffocation if not addressed. The Heimlich maneuver is a critical life-saving technique that anyone can learn to perform in emergency situations.

The other options do not align with the purpose of the Heimlich maneuver. For instance, heart attack symptoms are managed with different methods, such as medical intervention; severe allergic reactions require treatments like epinephrine; and respiratory infections are treated with medications and other interventions aimed at resolving the underlying infection rather than physically dislodging an obstruction. Thus, the focus of the Heimlich maneuver is uniquely on the application of pressure to clear the airway, which makes the second choice the correct one.