What to Do If Someone is Choking

One day when I was having lunch with a friend, we had a heated conversation. Before I knew it, it wasn't the conversation that was heated, it was my throat. I was chewing on a large hot bagel, and before I knew it, it got caught in my throat. I tried to cough it up, but I couldn't. I became desperate and frightened!!!!! I immediately ran to the lady's rest room so that I could have more privacy. While I was rushing, I was trying to bring that piece of hard bagel up from my throat into my mouth. I couldn't do it!!!!!! I was so frightened. I was choking!!!!! I was sure the manager would have to call an ambulance. I could hardly breathe. Finally, while in the privacy of the restroom, I was able to give it up.

This was such an emotional experience for me and my luncheon friend, that I decided to learn what to do in case this happens again to me, or to a child, or to anyone else. When I came home, I looked up "Choking Rescue Procedure" in one of my health books.

This is what I learned from the book, "Kaiser Permanente Healthwise Handbook." The Heimlich Rescue Procedure was recommended. The first statement was Warning: "Do not begin choking rescue unless the person cannot breathe or is turning blue and cannot speak, and you are certain they are choking. Call 911 or Emergency Services if the person loses consciousness or if you are unable to dislodge the object." When I read this statement, I thought to myself, well, at least I was able to breathe a little bit and I did not lose consciousness, so I guess calling an ambulance would not have been necessary.

Here is the information from the "Kaiser Permanente Healthwise Handbook." Do the following for adults and children over one years old: "If the victim is standing or sitting, stand behind the victim and wrap your arms around his/her waist. Make a fist with one hand. Place the thumb side of your fist against the victim's abdomen, just above the navel but well below the breastbone. Grasp your fist with the other hand. Give a quick upward thrust into the victim's abdomen. This may cause the object to pop out. Use less force with young children.

Repeat until the object pops out or the victim loses consciousness.

The following is what I could have done if I knew the procedure for self-help: If you choke while alone, do abdominal thrusts on yourself or lean hard over the back of a chair to pop out the food.

This is what someone can do if the victim is on the floor: Turn the victim face up. Straddle him/her on your knees next to his/her hips. Place the heel of one hand against the victim's abdomen, just above the navel but well below the breastbone. Place your other hand directly over the fist of the first hand. Give a quick upward thrust into the victim's abdomen. Use less force for children. Repeat until the object pops out. If you can get a first aid book with illustrations, it would help you understand the first aid procedures.

The best first aid technique is prevention. "Kaiser Permanente Healthwise Handbook," gives the following suggestions for prevention: Do not drink too much alcohol before eating. The reason for this suggestion is because a person with dulled senses may not chew food properly or may try to swallow too large a portion of food. Take small bites and chew your food thoroughly. Do not give pop corn, peanuts, or hard candy to children under the age of three. Do not allow children under age three to play with toys that have very small parts that could be swallowed.

It is important to call a doctor, even if the food that a person has choked on has been dislodged, because the throat could be damaged by the object, or there could be abdominal damage from the rescue maneuver. This is especially important if this involves a child.

Source: Kaiser Permanente Healthwise Handbook