When would you not use head tilt-chin lift method?

• A. Suspected neck or spinal injury
• B. Unconscious casualty
• C. Obstructed airway
• D. Normal breathing

Answer: (A)

When there’s a suspected neck or spinal injury, you would not use the head tilt-chin lift. Tilting the head back and lifting the chin can move the cervical spine and potentially worsen a spinal injury, risking further damage to the spinal cord. Instead, stabilize the head and neck in a neutral position and open the airway with a jaw-thrust maneuver, which keeps the spine in line while allowing airflow.

In other situations, such as an unconscious casualty with no suspected spinal injury, the head tilt-chin lift is used to open the airway if breathing is not adequate. If there’s an airway obstruction, you would address that obstruction directly rather than relying on tilting the head, and if breathing is already normal, no airway maneuver is needed.