Most choking situations can be avoided by slow eating but if it happens, unfortunately, you will need to act quickly to save lives. Here are some symptoms that show a choking emergency and what to Do If Choking and Alone.
Symptoms of choking
Choking occurs when an object gets stuck in the throat or windpipe, blocking the flow of air. Symptoms of choking may include:
- Dizziness
- Difficulty breathing or inability to breathe
- Discomfort Feeling something in the back of your throat
- Difficult speaking Gagging Coughing
If you or someone else is choking, it is important to act quickly.
The American Red Cross recommends performing the Heimlich maneuver on yourself or someone else if they are choking1.
If the person is unable to cough, talk, cry, or laugh forcefully, give first aid to the person. The Mayo Clinic provides a step-by-step guide explaining what to do in a choking emergency2. Please note that if the choked person stops breathing or making noise, develops a bluish tint to the lips or nails, or produces a weak cough, it is important to see a doctor immediately1.
What to Do If Choking and Alone:
Let’s say you take all precautions, and you still find yourself choking and in a panic, there are a few different steps you can take. In an article for Prevention.com, Travis Stork, M.D., an ER physician cohost of TV’s The Doctors, and the author of The Lean Belly Prescription, says your first line of defense is coughing, something your body does automatically when your airway becomes blocked. Another strategy is to call attention to your plight by making whatever ruckus you can — it’s possible someone will hear and come to your aid. The Mayo Clinic and most health professionals, including Dr. Stork, recommend self-administering the Heimlich maneuver: Make a fist. Place the thumb below your rib cage and above your navel. Grasp your fist with your other hand. Press it into the area with a quick upward movement. You can also lean over a table edge, chair, or railing. Quickly thrust your upper belly area (upper abdomen) against the edge. 4
To help yourself or others who are choking, you can also use Sonmol Anti-Choking Device.
1 msn.com
2 mayoclinic.org
3 buoyhealth.com
4 en.wikipedia.org
