CHOKING - St john Ambulance First aid Training

CHOKING

Choking or complete airway obstruction is an emergency that can result in death

within minutes if not treated immediately.

Signs of choking

A choking person will display the Universal Sign of

Distress and will be unable to speak, breathe and                                

 cough.                                                                          

Treatment for choking

Perform the heimlich manoeuvre or chest thrusts to expel the foreign object that is

obstructing the airway. If the casualty falls unconscious, support and lay the casualty

down. Perform chest compression for unconscious choking.

Heimlich man-oeuvre (for conscious choking)

a. Stand behind the casualty.

b. Request casualty to stand with his feet shoulder-width apart.

c. Place one leg in between the casualty’s legs.

d. Locate the casualty’s navel using the ring finger.

e. Place 2 fingers above the navel.

f. With the other hand, tuck your thumb into your palm and curl your fingers

into a fist.

g. Position the fist against the abdomen above the fingers.

h. Bend the casualty forward.

i. Release the three fingers at the navel and cover the fist with this hand.

j. Give 5 thrusts in a 45 degrees inwards-upwards motion.

k. Look out for any foreign objects that fall out from the casualty’s mouth.

l. If nothing emerges from the casualty’s mouth, continue to give abdominal

thrusts in sets of 5 (check for foreign objects that fall out from the casualty’s

mouth after each set) until the foreign object is expelled or the casualty falls

unconscious, whichever is earlier.

m. If the casualty falls unconscious, support and lay the casualty down.

n. Proceed to perform chest compression for unconscious choking.

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