First Aid Guide to Choking

First Aid Guide to Choking

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choking signs and cure
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Often, a piece of food is the cause of choking in adults. However, children usually swallow small objects that may cause choking. Choking usually blocks flow of air through the windpipe and may be dangerous as it cuts off oxygen from the brain. Some first aid might be necessary under these circumstances:

The Red Cross recommends a five-and-five first aid approach explained in this article but first, let us see the signs that could show choking.

The most common one is hands being clutched to the throat, but the following can reveal choking;
  • Noisy breathing or difficulty in breathing
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Inability to talk and inability to cough forcefully
  • Skin, lips and nails turn blue or dusky

What to do

  1. Give the person 5 back blows: Target the area between shoulder blades using the heel of your hand. This technique is recommended if you have not learned to do abdominal thrusts.
  2. Give 5 abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver). First stand behind the person, wrap your arms around their waist and tip him/her forward. Position one fist above the navel. Using the other arm, press the fist into the abdomen with a quick, upward thrust as if lifting the person up. Do five thrusts if the blockage persists and repeat the five-and-five cycle if it still persists.
  3. Alternate 5 blows and 5 thrusts (mentioned above)
  4. Call for help: perform the blows and thrusts before calling 911 if you are alone. Otherwise, if you are with another person, let him/her call for help while you do the thrusts and punches.
  5. Chest compressions and rescue breaths: using standard CPR, is done if the person has become unconscious.


Doing it on a <1 year age infant

  • Sit and hold the infant face-down on your forearm rested on the thigh
  • Use the heel of your hand to thump the kid five times at the middle of the back. The technique uses gravity and blows to achieve unblocking
  • If this doesn't work, lift the kid face-down with head lower than the trunk. Place two fingers at the center of the breastbone and give five chest compressions.
  • Repeat until breathing starts
  • Call for emergency medical help if the above doesn't work
  • Do CPR


Doing it on a pregnant or obese person

  • The Heimlich maneuver is performed by placing the hand a bit higher than normal. Place the hand at the base of breastbone above the point of joining of lowest ribs.

Doing it on an unconscious person


  • Lower him/her on the floor
  • Use a finger to remove, by sweeping, the blockage medium if it can be seen high in the throat or at the back. This must be done cautiously lest you push it further inside. This is so especially in children. 
  • Use cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) chest compression to remove a persisting blockage. Ensure to recheck the mouth from time to time


Doing it on yourself


It is possible to do back blows if you are alone and chocked. Do the following to perform abdominal thrusts;

  • Place a fist slightly above the navel.
  • Use the other hand to grasp the fist.
  • Bend over a hard surface
  • Shove the fist inward and upward


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