How to help someone who is choking

How to tell if someone is choking

Choking is what happens when an object becomes lodged in a person’s throat or windpipe, blocking the flow of air. A person who is choking might be:

• Clutching at their throat or chest
• Coughing or making crowing noises
• Starting to turn blue

What to do in a choking emergency

The first thing you should do is try and get them to cough. If they can do so, encourage them to lean forward and cough, to help clear their airway.

If they can’t cough the obstruction up, or can’t cough at all, call 000 for an ambulance immediately and prepare to deliver back blows and chest thrusts. Stay on the phone, using the speaker function so you can hear the operator while also having both hands free to assist the patient.

Deliver 5 back blows

Before delivering a back blow, help the person to brace themselves by leaning them forward and resting their elbows to their knees or on a stable surface.

Use the pam of your free hand to deliver up to five sharp blows to their back, between the shoulders, in an upward motion. Between each blow, check if the blockage has been cleared, and stop if the object has been dislodged.

Perform 5 chest thrusts

If the blockage hasn’t been removed after five back blows, lean the person back against a chair or wall, and perform five chest thrusts.

Place the palm of your hand on the centre of the patient’s chest, stand to the side of the person and deliver a quick, hard thrust to the chest. Deliver up to five chest thrusts, checking if the blockage has been cleared after each thrust.

If the blockage has still not been removed after five thrusts, continue alternating between five back blows and five chest thrusts until medical aid arrives. If the patient becomes unconscious, start CPR.