Choking: MedlinePlus

Choking: MedlinePlus

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA  

• Blockage of upper airway
• Choking - adult or child over 1 year
• Choking - infant under 1 year
• Choking - unconscious adult or child over 1 year
• Choking first aid - adult or child over 1 year - slideshow
• Choking first aid - infant under 1 year - slideshow
• Emergency airway puncture
• Emergency airway puncture - slideshow
• Foreign object - inhaled or swallowed
• Heimlich maneuver

Related Health Topics

• Foreign Bodies

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Summary

Food or small objects can cause choking if they get caught in your throat and block your airway. This keeps oxygen from getting to your lungs and brain. If your brain goes without oxygen for more than four minutes, you could have brain damage or die.

Young children are at an especially high risk of choking. They can choke on foods like hot dogs, nuts and grapes, and on small objects like toy pieces and coins. Keep hazards out of their reach and supervise them when they eat.

When someone is choking, quick action can be lifesaving. Learn how to do back blows, the Heimlich maneuver (abdominal thrusts), and CPR.

Start Here

• Choking (Heimlich Maneuver) (American College of Emergency Physicians)
• Choking Prevention and Rescue Tips (National Safety Council)
• Choking: First Aid (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Choking and Strangulation Prevention Tips (Safe Kids Worldwide)
• Choking Prevention (American Academy of Pediatrics)Available in Spanish
• Choosing Safe Toys (Nemours Foundation)Available in Spanish
• Household Safety: Preventing Choking (Nemours Foundation)Available in Spanish
• Infant Choking: How to Keep Your Baby Safe (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Treatments and Therapies

• Adult First Aid/CPR/AED Ready Reference (American Red Cross) - PDF
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): First Aid (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Choking: What to Do for an Infant (American College of Emergency Physicians)
• Emergency airway puncture - slideshow Available in Spanish
• First Aid: Choking (Nemours Foundation)
• Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Ready Reference (American Red Cross) - PDF
• Responding to a Choking Emergency (Academic Pediatric Association)

Related Issues

• Learn CPR You Can Do It! (University of Washington, School of Medicine)Available in Spanish

Images

• Choking first aid - adult or child over 1 year - slideshow Available in Spanish
• Choking first aid - infant under 1 year - slideshow Available in Spanish

Videos and Tutorials

• Child CPR  (American Red Cross)
• Conscious Choking: Adult and Child  (American Red Cross)
• CPR: Adult  (American Red Cross)
• CPR: Infant  (American Red Cross)
• Unconscious Choking: Infant  (American Red Cross)

Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Alert for airway humidification devices issued.
• Article: Oral medicine case book 64: Some aspects of the pathophysiology...
• Article: Primary Care of the Patient with Asthma.
• Choking -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Red Cross Available in Spanish

Children

• Choking (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation)
• CPR: A Real Lifesaver (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation)

Patient Handouts

• Blockage of upper airway Available in Spanish
• Choking - unconscious adult or child over 1 year Available in Spanish
• Foreign object - inhaled or swallowed Available in Spanish