If this is happening right now, choking is life-threatening. Call your local emergency number immediately—use speakerphone if possible. If you can still cough forcefully or speak, keep coughing. (Red Cross)
If you’re alone and cannot breathe, speak, or cough
- Call emergency services immediately. Even if you can’t speak, keep the call open if possible so the dispatcher can send help. (Red Cross)
- Make a fist and place it slightly above your belly button.
- Grasp your fist with your other hand.
- Bend over a firm surface, such as the back of a sturdy chair or the edge of a table.
- Drive your fist inward and upward forcefully.
- Repeat the abdominal thrusts until the object comes out or help arrives. (Mayo Clinic)
Do not blindly put your fingers into your throat/mouth to search for the food—you can push the obstruction farther down. (Red Cross Guidelines)
If you become unconscious, emergency responders or anyone who finds you should begin CPR and look for the object when appropriate. (Red Cross Guidelines)
After a choking episode, medical assessment may be appropriate, particularly if you have persistent coughing, breathing difficulty, chest/throat pain, or the sensation that something remains stuck.
