Choking

If someone is choking, their airway is partially or fully obstructed, making proper breathing difficult. While coughing might clear it, if they can’t, immediate assistance is necessary.

Emergency Advice ⚠️

If someone appears to be choking:

Cough to clear.
Back blows – five strikes.
Abdominal thrusts – five times.
Examine the mouth.
Dial 999 and repeat the steps.

What is it?

Choking occurs when the airway becomes obstructed, making normal breathing difficult. This blockage can be caused by food, small objects, or even excessive mucus, which prevents air from reaching the lungs. It can result in difficulty breathing or, in severe cases, complete obstruction, leading to a potentially life-threatening situation. Immediate intervention is crucial to clear the blockage and restore normal breathing

Recognition features

Signs and symptoms

Keep an eye out for:

Struggling to breathe, speak, or cough
a face flushed and swollen
displaying signs of distress,
perhaps indicating the throat or clutching their neck.

Treatment

If you suspect someone is choking, ask, ‘Are you choking?’ If they can breathe, speak, or cough, they might clear their throat themselves. If they can’t, they need immediate assistance.
Encourage them to cough and remove any visible obstruction from their mouth.
Do not put your fingers down their throat
If coughing doesn’t work, deliver five sharp back blows.
Lean them forward and support their upper body with one hand.
Use the heel of your other hand to strike between their shoulder blades.
Check their mouth after each blow.
If back blows don’t clear the obstruction, perform five abdominal thrusts.
Stand behind them, put your arms around their waist, and place a clenched fist between their belly button and bottom of their breast bone.
Grasp your fist with your other hand and pull sharply inwards and upwards up to five times.
Check their mouth after each thrust.
If the blockage persists, call 999 or 112 for emergency help immediately. Repeat five back blows and five abdominal thrusts until help arrives, rechecking their mouth each time.
If they become unresponsive, be prepared to start adult CPR.