Choking or choking occurs when someone has a lot of trouble breathing because a food, toy, or other object is blocking the throat or trachea (airway).
The airways of a person who is choking may be blocked so that oxygen does not reach the lungs. Without oxygen, brain damage can occur in as little as 4 to 6 minutes. Prompt administration of first aid for suffocation can save a life.
Abdominal compression or thrusts is an emergency technique to help clear a person’s airway.
-The procedure is performed on people who are suffocating and who are conscious.
-Most experts do not recommend abdominal thrusts for babies under 1 year of age.
-You can also perform the maneuver yourself.
First ask: “Are you choking?” You can speak?” DO NOT apply first aid if the person is coughing hard and can talk. A strong cough can dislodge the object.
If the person is choking, perform abdominal thrusts this way:
-If the person is sitting or standing, stand behind them and place your arms around their waist. For a child, you may need to kneel.
-Place your fist, with the thumb inward, just above the person’s navel. Hold your fist firmly with your other hand.
-Perform quick upward and inward compressions with your fists.
-If the person is lying on their back, position yourself above them with one leg on each side. Push your grasped fist up and in in a motion similar to the one above.
The procedure may have to be repeated several times before the object is dislodged. If repeated attempts fail to open the airway, call your local emergency number 112.
If the person loses consciousness, begin CPR.