Choking first aid - adult or child over 1 year - series

A choking person’s airway may be completely or partially blocked. A complete blockage is an urgent medical emergency. A partial obstruction can quickly become life threatening if the person loses the ability to breathe in and out sufficiently. Without oxygen, permanent brain damage can occur in as little as 4 minutes. Rapid first aid for choking can save a life.

The universal distress signal for choking is grabbing the throat with one or both hands.

DO NOT perform first aid if the person is coughing forcefully and able to speak – a strong cough can dislodge the object on its own.

1. Ask the person:

"Are you choking?"

"Can you speak?"

Review Date: 04/08/2005
Reviewed By: William D. Whetstone M.D., Division of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.