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Choking - unconscious adult or child over 1 year

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Definition:

Choking is when breathing is hindered or stopped by obstruction of the throat or windpipe.

Alternative Names:

Heimlich maneuver - unconscious adult or child over 1 year

Considerations:

Without oxygen, the brain begins to die within 4 to 6 minutes. Rapid first aid for choking can save a life.

Following the expulsion of the object that caused the choking, keep the person still and get medical help. All choking persons should have a medical examination, since complications can arise not only from the choking incident, but also from the first aid measures that were taken.

Occasionally an object will enter the lung. While the person may appear to improve and breathe normally, in a few days symptoms such as wheezing , persistent cough , and pneumonia may develop. If this happens, get medical help immediately.

Causes:

• Eating (especially eating and laughing at the same time, eating with improperly fitted dentures, eating too fast, and failing to chew food well enough)
• Drinking alcohol (even a small amount of alcohol affects awareness)
• Trauma to the head and face (swelling or bleeding can cause choking)
• Small objects swallowed by young children

• Review Date: 7/18/2007
• Reviewed By: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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