Posted: Aug 03 2023
Choking is a common medical emergency and having an understanding of first aid can give you the confidence to help save a life. We’ve worked with St John SA to bring you this information.
How to tell if someone is choking
Choking is what happens when an object becomes lodged in a person’s throat or windpipe, blocking the flow of air. A person who is choking might be:
- Clutching at their throat or chest
- Coughing or making crowing noises
- Starting to turn blue
What to do in a choking emergency
The first thing you should do is try and get them to cough. If they can do so, encourage them to lean forward and cough, to help clear their airway.
If they can’t cough the obstruction up, or can’t cough at all, call 000 for an ambulance immediately and prepare to deliver back blows and chest thrusts. Stay on the phone, using the speaker function so you can hear the operator while also having both hands free to assist the patient.
Deliver 5 back blows
Before delivering a back blow, help the person to brace themselves by leaning them forward and resting their elbows to their knees or on a stable surface.
Use the pam of your free hand to deliver up to five sharp blows to their back, between the shoulders, in an upward motion. Between each blow, check if the blockage has been cleared, and stop if the object has been dislodged.
Perform 5 chest thrusts
If the blockage hasn’t been removed after five back blows, lean the person back against a chair or wall, and perform five chest thrusts.
Place the palm of your hand on the centre of the patient’s chest, stand to the side of the person and deliver a quick, hard thrust to the chest. Deliver up to five chest thrusts, checking if the blockage has been cleared after each thrust.
If the blockage has still not been removed after five thrusts, continue alternating between five back blows and five chest thrusts until medical aid arrives. If the patient becomes unconscious, start CPR.
15% off first aid training with St John SA
Members get 15% off select St John SA public first aid training courses.
Posted: Aug 03 2023
Disclaimer
The information contained here is of a general nature and does not take into account your personal medical situation. The information is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or used for therapeutic purposes. Should you require specific medical information, please seek advice from your healthcare practitioner. Health Partners does not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on the information provided.
While we have prepared the information carefully, we can’t guarantee that it is accurate, complete or up-to-date. And while we may mention goods or services provided by others, we aren’t specifically endorsing them and can’t accept responsibility for them.
© Copyright Health Partners. 2024 All Rights Reserved.
Health Partners is committed to providing quality and affordable health care, and we value our members and our obligation to protect your privacy. As part of our responsibility in protecting your privacy, from time to time we review our policies to ensure we are meeting our obligations. We have recently made some updates to our Privacy Policy. Please click here to view the Health Partners Privacy Policy.
© Copyright Health Partners. 2024 All Rights Reserved.
Health Partners is committed to providing quality and affordable health care, and we value our members and our obligation to protect your privacy. As part of our responsibility in protecting your privacy, from time to time we review our policies to ensure we are meeting our obligations. We have recently made some updates to our Privacy Policy. Please click here to view the Health Partners Privacy Policy.