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By: Ikedi Ani-okoye

Coping with choking

This common hazard can cause death if prompt action is not taken. The brain can suffer irreversible damage if it is deprived of oxygen for as little as 3-4 minutes. Choking is most likely when people are eating, particularly if they are talking or laughing at the sane time. In the elderly poor teeth or dentures may make proper chewing difficult, or a stroke might hive affected their swallowing abilities. Choking victims of all ages are best checked out at a hospital even if the object has been successfisily expeUed, as it may have harmed the airway lining.

Although food is most often the culprit, any foreign body may partially completely block the airway if it is stuck at the back of the throat. The airway may also be obstructed by the tongue dropping back, especially in people who are unconscious.

Complete obstruction

Someone with a completely blocked airway will be unable to speak or cough. They may clutch their neck, or point franfically at their throat, and open their mouth wide. Initially the vicfim will be red-faced as they struggle for air, then they will become pale and their lips will turn blue as oxygen fails to reach their lungs. Eventually they will lose consciousness, and all chest movements will stop as they cease breathing. An effective circulation will quickly stop unless the airway is cleared and air starts getting through to the lunch once again.

Incomplete obstruction

A person may be choking but still be able to get air past the obtrusion and into their lungs - this is an  or partial obstruction. Do not interfere With their breathing efforts in any way, apart from encouraging them to cough. If fhey can cough, there must be enough room around the foreign body for air to pass, and a sharp cough might dislodge and expel it. You may decide to keep the victim seated, in order to reduce the bodys demand on an imperfect supply of oxygen.

Other signs of partial blockage include

Snoring, gurgling and wheezing.
Blue or grey lips, earlobes and tongue, even though the person is breathing.
Breathing that alternates between normal and difficult/laboured.

Clearing the airway

There are three principal ways in which the first-aider should deal with a blocked airway, depending in the first instance on whether the person who is choking is conscious or unconscious:

For conscious casualties:

Back slaps, if coughing alone will not shift the obstruction.
Abdominal thrusts.

Unconscious casualties:

Chest thrusts.