Choking First Aid

If you think someone is choking, first ask them if they can cough, speak or breathe. If they can, let them be. The universal distress signal for choking is a hand around the neck.

If someone is choking and cannot breathe, try the Heimlich maneuver to get rid of the obstruction and clear the airway. If the victim is standing or sitting (conscious), stand behind him/her, wrap your arm around his/her waist and make a fist with one hand. Place the thumb side of the fist against the victim's abdomen, slightly above the navel. Grab the fist with your other hand and press the fist into the victim's abdomen with a quick upward thrust. Each new thrust should be a separate movement.

Medical help should be called immediately.