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Choking - unconscious adult or child over 1 year    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Heimlich maneuver - unconscious adult or child over 1 year

Definition:

Choking is the stoppage or hindrance of breathing by obstruction of the throat or windpipe.

Considerations

Without oxygen, the brain begins to die within 4 to 6 minutes. Rapid first aid for choking can save a life.

Following the expulsion of the object that caused the choking, keep the victim still and get medical help. All choking victims should have a medical examination, since complications can arise not only from the choking incident, but also from the first aid measures that were taken.

Occasionally an object will enter the lung instead of being expelled. While the victim may appear to improve and breathe normally, in a few days signs and symptoms of a foreign body in the lung, such as wheezing, persistent cough, and pneumonia, may develop. If this happens, get medical help immediately.

Causes

• Eating (especially eating and laughing at the same time, eating with improperly fitted dentures, eating too fast, and failing to chew food well enough)
• Alcohol consumption (even a small amount of alcohol affects awareness)
• Trauma to the head and face (swelling or bleeding can cause choking)
• Small objects swallowed by young children

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