Choking Relief Adults

Techniques to clear an obstructed airway in adults and children over 1 year

Step by Step

Ask: Are you choking? If they can cough, encourage them to keep coughing, as a strong cough is the most effective way to clear the airway, and remove any obvious obstruction from the mouth. If they cannot speak, cough, or breathe, act immediately. Give up to 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand, checking the mouth after each. If that fails, give up to 5 abdominal thrusts, Heimlich maneuver: stand behind them, fist between the navel and the bottom of the breastbone, and pull sharply inward and upward. If the blockage has not cleared, call emergency services and keep alternating 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts until help arrives. If they become unresponsive, start CPR. Anyone who has received abdominal thrusts should be checked by a medical professional afterwards.