Seeing someone choke can be frightening because it tends to happen very quickly, and when it does, people often panic because they’re worried about making the situation worse. The important thing to remember is that acting quickly can make a huge difference, so knowing the basic steps beforehand can help you if it ever happens.
Encourage Them To Cough
If the person is still able to speak, breathe, or cough, encourage them to keep coughing because this is often the most effective way to clear a blockage. Try not to pat them on the back straight away if they’re coughing effectively, as coughing itself is usually the body’s best defence.
Give Back Blows
If coughing isn’t working and the person is struggling to breathe, lean them forward and give up to five firm blows between the shoulder blades using the heel of your hand. Check after each blow to see if the blockage has cleared.
Use Abdominal Thrusts
If back blows don’t work, abdominal thrusts may be needed. Stand behind the person, place your hands around their waist, and perform up to five abdominal thrusts. Continue alternating between back blows if necessary. This is where emergency first aid training courses like https://www.tidaltraining.co.uk/emergency-first-aid-training-courses can be useful.
Call Emergency Services
If the blockage still hasn’t cleared, or if the person becomes unconscious, call emergency services immediately. If they lose consciousness, begin CPR if you are trained to do so and follow the instructions provided by emergency responders.
Knowing these basic steps can help while professional help is on the way.
