- Physical Examination
- Surgical Examination
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Skills
- Orthopedics
- Surgery Videos
- Laparoscopy
- Pediatrics
- Funny Videos
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Nursing Videos
- Plastic Surgery
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Histology and Histopathology
- Neurosurgery
- Dermatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Urology
- Dentistry
- Oncology and Cancers
- Anatomy Videos
- Health and Fitness
- Radiology
- Anaesthesia
- Physical Therapy
- Pharmacology
- Interventional Radiology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Gynecology
- Emergency Medicine
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Childbirth Videos
- General Medical Videos
- Nephrology
- Physiology
- Diet and Food Health
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Neurology
- Women Health
- Osteoporosis
- Gastroenterology
- Pulmonology
- Hematology
- Rheumatology
- Toxicology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Vascular Disease
- Reproductive Health
- Burns and Wound Healing
- Kidney Zone Podcast
- Other
Choking in Adults
What to do
- Ask 'Are you choking?' If the person can speak, cough or breathe, encourage them to keep coughing and stay with them — do not intervene yet.
- If the cough is weak or they cannot breathe or speak, call 911 (or ask someone else to) and start back blows.
- Back blows: stand to the side and slightly behind, support their chest with one hand and lean them well forward. Give up to 5 sharp blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand, checking after each whether the blockage has cleared.
- If back blows fail, give abdominal thrusts: stand behind them, place a fist above the navel, grasp it with your other hand and pull sharply inwards and upwards, up to 5 times.
- Alternate 5 back blows with 5 abdominal thrusts, re-checking the mouth between cycles. Remove any blockage you can clearly see — never sweep blindly with your fingers.
- If the person becomes unresponsive, lower them to the ground, make sure 911 has been called, and start CPR.
What NOT to do
- Do not do a blind finger sweep — you can push the object deeper.
- Do not give abdominal thrusts to someone who is coughing effectively.
- Do not slap the back while the person is upright — lean them forward so the object can fall out.
- Do not give the person anything to drink to 'wash it down'.
When to get medical care
Call 911 if the blockage does not clear quickly, if the person cannot breathe or speak, or if they become unresponsive. Anyone who has had abdominal thrusts, or who keeps coughing or has difficulty swallowing afterwards, should be checked in hospital the same day, as thrusts can cause internal injury.
Related procedures & tests
Related symptoms
Watch: related videos
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mild and severe choking?
In mild choking the person can speak, cough and breathe — encourage coughing and monitor them. In severe choking they cannot speak or breathe effectively and may clutch their throat; that needs immediate back blows and abdominal thrusts, and a 911 call.
Should I do abdominal thrusts on a pregnant or larger person?
If you cannot get your arms around the abdomen, or the person is in late pregnancy, use chest thrusts instead: pull sharply backwards with your fist on the centre of the breastbone. Alternate with back blows as usual.
In an emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) first — do not delay a call to read a guide. These pages are educational first-aid information in general terms; they are not a substitute for emergency services, first-aid training, or assessment by a qualified clinician.
