Airway Obstruction: How To Save Someone From A Horrific Choking?

The airway may be obstructed externally or internally, for example, by an object that is stuck at the back of the throat.

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How Can you Recognize Choking?

1. Features of hypoxia, such as grey-blue tinge to the lips,
   earlobes, and nailbeds (cyanosis).
2. Difficulty speaking and breathing.
3. Noisy breathing.
4. Red, puffy face.
5. Signs of distress from the victim, who may point to the throat or grasp
   the neck.
6. Flaring of the nostrils.
7. A persistent cough.

The Main Causes of Obstruction:

Airway obstruction requires prompt action; be prepared to give
chest compressions and rescue breaths if the victim stops
breathing.

■Inhalation of an object, such as food
■ Blockage by the tongue, blood, or vomit while a victim is unresponsive.
■Internal swelling of the throat occurring with burns, scalds, stings, or anaphylaxis.
■Injuries to the face or jaw.
■ Asthma attack in which the small airways in the lungs constrict.
■External pressure on the neck, as in hanging or strangulation.
■Peanuts, which can swell up when in contact with body fluids.

Choking Adult:

If the person choking is an adult, then you need to follow 5 steps:

1. If the victim is breathing, encourage her to continue coughing. Remove any obvious obstruction from the mouth.
2. If the victim cannot speak or stops coughing or breathing, carry out back blows. Support her upper body with one hand, and help her to lean well forward. Give up to five sharp blows between her shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. Stop if the obstruction clears. Check her mouth.
3. If back blows fail to clear the obstruction, try abdominal thrusts. Stand behind the victim and put both arms around the upper part of her abdomen. Make sure that she is still bending well forwards. Clench your fist and place it between the navel and the bottom of her Sternum. Grasp your fist firmly with your other hand. Pull sharply inwards and upwards up to five times.
4. Check her mouth.
5. If the obstruction hasn’t cleared then repeat points no. 2 and 3 until the airway is clear.

Point no. 3 Above Source

Choking Child (From 1 year to puberty):

1. If the child is breathing, encourage her to cough; this may clear the obstruction. Remove any obvious obstruction from her mouth.
2. If the child cannot speak, or stops coughing or breathing, carry out back blows. Bend her well forward and give up to five blows between her shoulder blades using the heel of your hand. Check her mouth, but do not sweep the mouth with your finger.
3. If the back blows fail, try abdominal thrusts. Put your arms around the child’s upper abdomen. Make sure that she is bending well forwards. Place your fist between the navel and the bottom of her Sternum, and grasp it with your other hand. Pull sharply inwards and upwards up to five times. Stop if the obstruction clears.
4. Check the mouth. If the obstruction remains then repeat points no. 2 and 3.

Caution!
If at any stage the child becomes unresponsive, open the airway and check breathing. If she is not breathing, begin CPR to try to relieve the obstruction.

Choking Infant (Under 1 year):

An infant is more likely to choke on food or small objects than an adult. The infant will rapidly become distressed, and you need to act quickly to clear any obstruction. If the infant becomes unresponsive, the throat muscles may relax and the airway may open enough to do rescue breathing. Be prepared to begin rescue breaths and chest compressions.

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1. If the infant is unable to cry, cough, or breathe, lay her face down along your forearm and thigh and support her head. Give up to five back blows between the shoulder blades, with the heel of your hand.
2. Turn the infant over so that she is face up along your other leg and check her mouth. Remove any obvious obstructions with your fingertips. Do not sweep the mouth with your finger as this may push the object further down the throat.
3. If back blows fail to clear the obstruction, try chest thrusts. These are similar to chest compressions, but sharper in nature and delivered at a lower rate. Lay the infant faceup on your leg, place two fingers on the lower part of the Sternum one finger’s breadth below the nipple line, and push downwards. Give up to five chest thrusts.
4. Check the mouth. If the obstruction remains then repeat from points no. 1 to 3 until help arrives.

Your Aim During all this:

. To remove the obstruction
. To restore normal breathing
. To arrange removal to the hospital

Thank you for Reading.😊
I hope I was able to provide a good amount of information.
Have a Nice Day.😊