Choking can become life-threatening within minutes because a blocked airway prevents oxygen from reaching the lungs. If you suddenly cannot breathe, speak, or cough forcefully and you are alone, act immediately rather than waiting for the blockage to clear on its own.
There isn’t a guaranteed technique that will save your life in one second, but knowing what to do can give you a much better chance of clearing the obstruction.
First, Recognize Severe Choking
A person with a completely blocked airway may:
- Be unable to speak
- Be unable to breathe normally
- Be unable to cough forcefully
- Make little or no sound
- Clutch their throat
- Develop blue or gray lips or skin
- Become confused or lose consciousness
If you can still cough forcefully, keep coughing. A strong cough may dislodge the object.
What to Do If You’re Alone and Choking
1. Call Your Local Emergency Number
Call your local emergency service immediately.
If you’re unable to speak, keep the call connected if possible so the dispatcher can hear what is happening and send assistance. The American Red Cross specifically recommends calling for emergency help when you are alone and choking.
2. Give Yourself Abdominal Thrusts
Make a fist with one hand.
Place the fist slightly above your belly button and below your breastbone.
Grab your fist with your other hand.
Then make a quick, forceful inward-and-upward thrust into your abdomen.
Repeat as necessary until the obstruction comes out.
3. Use a Firm Surface if Necessary
If using your hands isn’t working, you can bend over a firm, blunt surface, such as the back of a sturdy chair or the edge of a countertop.
Position the area just above your belly button against the surface and drive your upper abdomen firmly inward and upward against it.
The American Red Cross and Mayo Clinic both describe using a firm object such as a chair or countertop as an alternative when you are choking alone.
Do not use a sharp corner or anything that could cause serious injury.
Don’t Waste Time Trying to Drink Water
If you have a true airway obstruction and cannot breathe or cough effectively, drinking water is not the appropriate first-aid response.
Your priority is to call for emergency assistance and clear the airway using appropriate first-aid techniques.
What If the Food Comes Out?
Even if you successfully remove the object and feel better, medical assessment can sometimes be appropriate, particularly if you have persistent coughing, breathing problems, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, or you think something may still be lodged.
A swallowed object that remains stuck in the esophagus can require medical removal.
What If You Become Unconscious?
If choking causes you to become unconscious, you cannot perform self-rescue.
This is why calling for emergency assistance as soon as possible is so important.
If another person arrives and finds you unconscious and not breathing normally, they should begin appropriate CPR and follow emergency-dispatch instructions. If an object is visible in the mouth, it can be removed carefully; blindly sweeping a finger into the mouth can push an obstruction deeper, so this should not be done when the object cannot be seen.
Special Situations
Standard abdominal thrusts are not appropriate in exactly the same way for everyone.
For someone who is pregnant, chest thrusts are recommended instead of abdominal thrusts. Chest thrusts may also be used when a person’s size makes abdominal thrusts impractical.
For infants under 1 year, choking first aid is different and should not be performed using the adult abdominal-thrust technique.
The Most Important Thing to Remember
If you’re alone and suddenly cannot breathe because food or another object is blocking your airway:
CALL FOR EMERGENCY HELP → GIVE YOURSELF ABDOMINAL THRUSTS → USE A FIRM, BLUNT SURFACE IF NEEDED → KEEP TRYING UNTIL THE AIRWAY CLEARS OR HELP ARRIVES.
Learning these techniques in a certified first-aid or CPR course is even better than simply reading about them. Mayo Clinic recommends formal training so people can respond correctly during a real choking emergency.
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