Choking | |
---|---|
Other names | Foreign body airway obstruction (FBOA) [1] |
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A demonstration of abdominal thrusts on a person showing signs of choking | |
Specialty | Emergency medicine |
Symptoms | Drooling, coughing, wheezing, stridor, shortness of breath, holding both hands around the throat [2] [3] |
Complications | Unconsciousness [4] |
Usual onset | Sudden [1] |
Risk factors | Certain foods, decreased saliva production, Alzheimer, Parkinson disease [2] |
Treatment | Mild: Encourage coughing,
back slaps
[4] Severe: <1 year back slaps and chest thrusts; > 1 year abdominal thrusts Unconscious: CPR, laryngoscopy [1] [5] |
Frequency | Relatively common [2] |
Deaths | 5,000 (USA 2015) [2] |
Choking is when the airway gets blocked such that a person is unable to breathe. [4] Symptoms may include sudden onset of drooling, coughing, wheezing, stridor, shortness of breath, or holding both hands around the front of the throat. [2] [3] [1] People with mild choking can usually speak or cry while those with severe disease cannot. [4] Without help unconsciousness and death may occur. [4] [3]
In young children it most commonly occurs due to food, toys, or a coin; while in old people it generally occurs due to food. [2] Risk factors in the elderly include decreased saliva production, Alzheimer, and Parkinson disease. [2] The underlying mechanism involves a foreign body partly or completely blocking the larynx, trachea, or bronchus. [2] Diagnosis may be supported by asking if a person is choking and them nodding their head. [3]
In those who are still able to cough, one should encourage them to do so; back slaps may be used if this is not sufficient. [4] In those who cannot cough but are still conscious; those under the age of 1 should be given 5 back slaps in a head down position followed by 5 chest thrusts; those over the age of 1 should be given abdominal thrusts. [2] In those who are unconscious CPR should be started beginning with chest compressions followed by checking the mouth for a foreign body, followed by attempts at ventilation. [1] In an unconscious person, looking with a laryngoscope and potential removal with forceps is also recommended. [5]
Choking is relatively common. [2] It most commonly occurs in 1 to 3 year old children and people over the age of 60. [2] In 2015 it resulted in around 5,000 deaths in the United States, making it the 4th leading cause of unintentional death. [2] The condition has been documented since at least 1500 BCE, with the Papyrus Ebers recommending cutting open the airway in the neck as a treatment. [6]
Choking | |
---|---|
Other names | Foreign body airway obstruction (FBOA) [1] |
![]() | |
A demonstration of abdominal thrusts on a person showing signs of choking | |
Specialty | Emergency medicine |
Symptoms | Drooling, coughing, wheezing, stridor, shortness of breath, holding both hands around the throat [2] [3] |
Complications | Unconsciousness [4] |
Usual onset | Sudden [1] |
Risk factors | Certain foods, decreased saliva production, Alzheimer, Parkinson disease [2] |
Treatment | Mild: Encourage coughing,
back slaps
[4] Severe: <1 year back slaps and chest thrusts; > 1 year abdominal thrusts Unconscious: CPR, laryngoscopy [1] [5] |
Frequency | Relatively common [2] |
Deaths | 5,000 (USA 2015) [2] |
Choking is when the airway gets blocked such that a person is unable to breathe. [4] Symptoms may include sudden onset of drooling, coughing, wheezing, stridor, shortness of breath, or holding both hands around the front of the throat. [2] [3] [1] People with mild choking can usually speak or cry while those with severe disease cannot. [4] Without help unconsciousness and death may occur. [4] [3]
In young children it most commonly occurs due to food, toys, or a coin; while in old people it generally occurs due to food. [2] Risk factors in the elderly include decreased saliva production, Alzheimer, and Parkinson disease. [2] The underlying mechanism involves a foreign body partly or completely blocking the larynx, trachea, or bronchus. [2] Diagnosis may be supported by asking if a person is choking and them nodding their head. [3]
In those who are still able to cough, one should encourage them to do so; back slaps may be used if this is not sufficient. [4] In those who cannot cough but are still conscious; those under the age of 1 should be given 5 back slaps in a head down position followed by 5 chest thrusts; those over the age of 1 should be given abdominal thrusts. [2] In those who are unconscious CPR should be started beginning with chest compressions followed by checking the mouth for a foreign body, followed by attempts at ventilation. [1] In an unconscious person, looking with a laryngoscope and potential removal with forceps is also recommended. [5]
Choking is relatively common. [2] It most commonly occurs in 1 to 3 year old children and people over the age of 60. [2] In 2015 it resulted in around 5,000 deaths in the United States, making it the 4th leading cause of unintentional death. [2] The condition has been documented since at least 1500 BCE, with the Papyrus Ebers recommending cutting open the airway in the neck as a treatment. [6]