What Should I Do If I Choke on Food and It Goes into My Airway?
If you choke on food and cannot cough it out, it is best to seek medical attention immediately. Alternatively, you can use the Heimlich Maneuver to dislodge the foreign object. Choking on food can lead to varying degrees of respiratory difficulty. If you lose consciousness, you should seek medical attention immediately.
To perform the Heimlich Maneuver, another person should stand behind you and squeeze the central part of your upper abdomen above the navel to force the foreign object out.
First and foremost, regardless of the situation, if you or someone else chokes on food, call 120 emergency services immediately. Then immediately use the correct first aid methods until the rescue personnel arrive. Of course, if there are other people around, calling 120 and performing first aid measures can be done simultaneously.
When the choking person is standing, the rescuer can stand behind them, wrapping their arms around them from behind. Make sure to hold the patient under their chest, above the navel, and on the upper abdomen. Then quickly squeeze the abdomen upwards with your hands until the foreign object is expelled.
If the choking person is lying on their back, the rescuer should place their hands, with fingers clasped together, on the patient's abdomen below the chest and above the navel. Then use the heel of your hand to quickly press on the abdomen until the foreign object is expelled.
If there are no other people around and you are choking on a foreign object, calmly find a horizontal and stable position that is level with your abdomen. Use a fixed object to rapidly impact your abdomen until the foreign object is expelled.
