A person can choke if there is a foreign object, food, or liquid that blocks the respiratory tract in the throat. This condition can be fatal if not treated immediately. Therefore, it is important to know the first aid steps for someone who is choking. Choking can happen at any time and is experienced by anyone, from babies, children, to adults. When choking, the person who experiences it will feel tight and have difficulty breathing. If treatment is not carried out immediately, this condition can be life-threatening.
Choking cases in babies or children generally occur because of their habit of putting various objects into their mouths. While in adults, choking usually occurs due to eating or drinking too quickly. However, to prevent choking, drinking during or after eating is safe.
First Aid for Choking for Adults
If not severe, choking only makes the sufferer feel like there is something stuck in the throat. In this condition, you can tell the person who is choking to cough to clear the blockage in their throat. You can also ask them to vomit the object that is blocking their airway. If this method still doesn’t work, try patting the back of the person who is choking to clear their throat. Avoid putting your fingers in the mouth of the person who is choking. This is dangerous because fingers can be accidentally bitten. Meanwhile, in more severe conditions, choking can make the sufferer unable to speak or breathe and experience a condition called asphyxia. If not treated immediately, asphyxia can cause a person to lose consciousness, even death.
The following is first aid for people who experience shortness of breath due to choking:
- Blows behind the back
Stand behind the person who is choking. Place one hand on their chest and ask them to lean forward until their chest is parallel to the floor. Then, blow five times with the heel of your hand between the shoulder blades. Repeat until the foreign object is dislodged from the throat. - Perform abdominal thrusts
Abdominal thrusts or the Heimlich maneuver is a technique for giving a jolt to the stomach that is done by pressing the epigastric area firmly to remove a foreign object from the throat. Position yourself behind the person who is choking. Wrap both of your arms around the sufferer’s waist and hug them tightly. Next, make a fist with one hand just above the epigastric region and pull the fist tightly using the other hand as hard as possible until it presses on the epigastric region. Do this 5 times or repeat until the foreign object that is blocking the throat can be removed.
If the above procedure is not successful, immediately take the patient to the emergency room for medical attention. If the patient loses consciousness accompanied by breathing or pulse stops, apply cardiopulmonary resuscitation methods until the patient receives medical attention.
Special Treatment for Helping a Choking Baby
First aid for a choking baby is different from that for adults. The method is to place the baby face down on your lap, positioning the head lower than the body. Hold the baby’s head by holding both cheeks to ensure the airway is open. Give 5 gentle but firm pats between the shoulder blades while making sure the object that is blocking has come out.
Understanding first aid for choking is important for everyone. Not only to overcome choking conditions, but also as an effort to save the life of the person experiencing it. To find out more about handling choking, you can consult a doctor.
