Choking is a condition where someone is having a tough time breathing due to blocking the throat or windpipe (airway) from food, a tiny toy, or some other object. Because of this blockage, not enough oxygen reaches the lungs and without the proper flow of oxygen, a brain can get damaged within 4 to 6 minutes. In this situation instant first-aid is required otherwise the condition can become life-threatening too. In adults generally, food can be the reason for choking while in children anything that is small. During providing first-aid, call on emergency number too in case of the situation gets out of hand.
How to recognize if a person is choking?
Look for these signs in the following :
- If one or both hands grasp the throat.
- Facial expressions like panic, shock, or in confusion.
- Are not able to talk.
- Haggard noise while breathing.
- Whistling sound when trying to breath.
- Heavy pressure when coughing.
- Skin, lips, and nails turn their color into blue or gray.
- Losing consciousness.
As soon as you recognize these signs in any of your surrounding people immediately call on emergency services and quickly start giving first-aid. You can also opt for urgent care services like the treatment of a choking person in the Texas Specialty Clinic.
What can you do if someone is choking?
Whenever something gets stuck in our throat our body’s first natural response is to cough and whatever is stuck comes out. But sometimes things get harder when the stuck object does come out easily and the situation becomes life-threatening. Things you can do if someone is choking :
- Coughing can help the situation but, when coughing does not work and a person is not able to talk, cry, etc. then start first aid quickly.
- Provide five back blows :- Get the choking person into a standing position then stand beside or behind him or her. If he is a kid, kneel down. Now put your hands across his chest to support him. Keep that person in a bend position facing the ground and now strike five times separately between his shoulder blades.
- Provide five abdominal thrusts :- Also known as the Heimlich maneuver. Stand behind the choking person. Place your hands around his abdomen and make one fist (one hand clasping the other). Now keep your thumb side of your fist just below his ribcage and 2 inches above the belly button. Start thrusting with your hand inward and upward 5 times.
If the stuck object is dislodged and the person became unconscious, then perform CPR immediately.
What can happen if a person is choking?
First of all, there can be an immediate threat to life due to breathing inability. Choking can bring out other complications with improper treatment. These complications can be throat damage, throat irritation, and also death from asphyxiation.
Anyone can swallow anything and get choked. Generally, infants or toddlers are prone to these things but adults can also go through the exact same situation. Chewing food properly is highly recommended to avoid such situations. Food processing is done by the digestive tract which digests the food naturally but in some cases, food gets stuck and does not come out. Here, you need to pay attention and start the first-aid procedure.
When a kid swallows something it does not generally get stuck in the throat rather can be found in the stomach. He may have the following signs :
- Vomiting.
- Drooling.
- Gagging.
- Chest or throat pain.
- Denying food.
- Stomach (abdominal) pain.
- fever.
Emergency care for choking condition
Every year thousands of people die from choking mainly young adults and people over the age of 75 years. It is a hazardous condition. Urgent care is the only requirement in that crucial hour. People die because of not getting treatment right away. But in Texas Specialty Clinic, you can have this service just through one call.
Anyone can get into the situation of Choking without any prior warning but getting urgent treatment is the main concern here. Texas Specialty Clinics gets this concern out of your mind call us in an emergency at (469) 545-9983.