Choking can happen without warning. A bite of food can suddenly become lodged in the airway, making it difficult or impossible to breathe. When another person is nearby, they may be able to recognize the emergency and provide first aid. But what happens when you are completely alone?
Knowing the basic steps in advance can help you respond more quickly instead of freezing in panic.
How to Recognize Serious Choking
Not every cough means a person is choking severely. If you can breathe and cough forcefully, keep coughing. A strong cough may be enough to clear the obstruction.
A severe airway blockage can cause signs such as:
Inability to speak normally
Difficulty or inability to breathe
An ineffective or silent cough
A feeling that something is stuck in the throat
Clutching the throat
Increasing panic or distress
Blue or gray coloring around the lips or face in severe cases
Loss of consciousness if the blockage is not relieved
A person with a completely blocked airway needs immediate action.
First, Try to Cough
If you can still breathe and produce a strong cough, continue coughing.
Coughing is one of the body’s natural ways of trying to remove something from the airway. Do not deliberately suppress an effective cough.
If the obstruction comes out, continue paying attention to your breathing. Persistent breathing problems after a choking episode should be medically evaluated.
If You Cannot Breathe or Speak
If you are alone and experiencing severe choking, call your local emergency services immediately if you are able to do so.
Put the phone on speaker if possible. This allows you to communicate with emergency responders while attempting to clear the obstruction.
Do not assume the problem will resolve on its own if you cannot breathe or speak.
Self-Abdominal Thrusts
One recognized method for an adult who is choking while alone is performing abdominal thrusts on themselves.
Make a fist and position it above your navel and below the lower edge of your breastbone. Hold the fist with your other hand and deliver quick, forceful thrusts inward and upward.
The pressure is intended to help generate enough force to dislodge an object blocking the airway.
Repeat the thrusts as necessary while continuing to seek emergency assistance.
Using a Firm Surface
If you cannot effectively perform abdominal thrusts with your hands, another self-rescue option involves using a firm object.
Position the upper abdomen against the edge of a sturdy surface, such as the back of a heavy chair or a countertop.
Apply controlled, forceful pressure against the surface.
The objective is similar: create pressure in the abdomen that may help force the obstruction out of the airway.
