Choking (for CONSCIOUS adult or child over 1 year)

Alternative names:

The first aid procedure for choking is also referred to as the Heimlich maneuver or abdominal thrusts.

Definition:

The stoppage or hindrance of breathing by obstruction or irritation of the windpipe.

Considerations:

Coughing is the body's way of trying to remove a foreign object (such as food) from the airway.If coughing does not clear the obstruction, then choking occurs.

A choking person's airway may be completely or partially blocked. A complete obstruction is life-threatening; a partial obstruction can be life-threatening if the person's ability to breathe in and out becomes poor. Treat any significant obstruction as a complete obstruction.

Without oxygen the brain can begin to die within 4 to 6 minutes. Rapid first aid for choking can save a life.

Following the expulsion of the object that caused the choking, keep the victim still and get medical help. All choking victims should have a medical examination, since complications can arise not only from the incident but also from the first aid measures that were taken.

Occasionally an object will enter the lung instead of being expelled. While the victim may appear to improve and breathe normally, in a few days signs and symptoms of a foreign body in the lung will appear (such as, wheezing, persistent cough, and pneumonia). If this happens, get medical help immediately.

Common causes:

• Eating (especially eating and laughing at the same time, eating with improperly fitted dentures, eating too fast, and failing to chew food well enough).



• Alcohol consumption (even a small amount of alcohol affects awareness)



• Ttrauma to the head and face (blood clots or bleeding can cause choking)



• Small objects swallowed by young children



• Infections and tumors in the airway

Updated Date: 02/09/00

Updated By:J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director, Utah Health Informatics and adam.com editorial