choking

chokingChoking is often the result of inadequately chewed food becoming lodged in the throat or windpipe (larynx). Most often, solid foods such as meats are the cause. People who are choking usually have been talking while simultaneously chewing a piece of meat.

Panic often accompanies choking. The choking victim’s face often assumes an expression of fear. At first, he or she may turn purple, and he or she may wheeze or gasp. If some food “goes down the wrong pipe,” the coughing reflex often will resolve the problem. If the person can cough freely, has normal skin color and can speak, he or she is not choking. Encourage them cough, but stay with them until they are okay.

If the cough is more like a gasp and the person is turning blue, he or she is probably choking. If in doubt, ask the choking person whether he or she can talk. If the person can speak, then the windpipe is not completely blocked and oxygen is reaching the lungs. A person who is choking is unable to communicate except by hand motions. The universal sign for choking is a hand clutched to the throat, with thumb and fingers extended. If a person displays this sign, get emergency care but don’t leave the person unattended.

To remove an object from the airway of a person who is choking, learn the Heimlich maneuver in a certified first-aid training course. To perform the Heimlich maneuver (also called abdominal thrusts):

  1. Stand behind the choking person and wrap your arms around his or her waist. Bend the person slightly forward.
  2. Make a fist with one hand and place it slightly above the person’s navel.
  3. Grasp your fist with the other hand and press hard into the abdomen with a quick, upward thrust. Repeat this procedure until the object is expelled from the airway.

Heimlich maneuver

To perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself:

  1. Position your own fist slightly above your navel.
  2. Grasp your fist with your other hand and thrust upward into your abdomen until the object is expelled, or lean over the back of a chair to produce this effect. Or pick up a chair and aim it at that spot slightly above the navel, thrust with some force, but not too hard. A chair with a rounded back works well if you are lucky enough to be near one; this writer was.
Amy - Teen's Health Expert

By Amy - Teen's Health Expert

Discover the dedicated author behind Teen Health Secrets, an experienced expert committed to providing in-depth knowledge and guidance on various aspects of teen health, ensuring young individuals lead healthy, informed lives.