How to Treat Choking for an Adult

Abdominal thrusts are painful; only perform them when the threat is serious.

Chocking happens when the airway becomes partially or fully blocked, making it impossible to get sufficient oxygen to live. In adults, chocking usually happens while eating. If you notice an adult is chocking, it's vital to assess the situation as calmly and quickly as possible before administering treatment. For example, if the airway is partially blocked, the adult will still be able to speak; in this scenario, encourage them to keep coughing to clear the blockage. However, if the airway is completely blocked, the adult will not be able to breathe; the treatment here is the abdominal thrust and with the right instructions, you'll be able to perform it to save a life.

Instructions

1. Examine the choking adult and quickly assess whether they are choking due to a full or partial blockage; if they have full blockage, proceed with the following steps.

2. Stand behind the choking adult and help them to their feet. Place your hands around their waist and bend them forward slightly.

3. Make a fist with one hand and grasp it firmly with the other. Place your clenched fists right above their navel, also known as the belly button.

4. Firmly and quickly thrust your clenched fist into their abdomen in an hard inward and upward movement. Repeat this movement until the stuck piece of food or small object is dislodged.

Tips & Warnings

• It's important to remember that if the person can cough, talk or cry, they only have a partial block and need to cough out the object on their own.

• If you fail to dislodge the object and the person loses consciousness, gently lay their body onto the floor, have someone call 911 and begin to perform CPR.

• Do not use abdominal thrusts on pregnant women, children under the age of one and extremely obese adults.

References

• NHS: What Should I Do If Someone Is Choking?
• Web MD: Choking Treatment
• Youtube: How to Treat a Choking Adult