Choking

1. First Aid Essentials Slideshow Pictures
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Medical Author:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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• Choking Overview
• Choking Causes
• Choking Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Choking Diagnosis
• Choking Treatment
• Choking Self-Care at Home
• Pictures of Abdominal Thrusts
• The American Heart Association's Recommendations for Choking
• The American Red Cross' Recommendations for Choking
• Choking Medical Treatment
• Choking Follow-up
• Choking Prevention
• Choking Prognosis
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Read more on Choking from Healthwise
• Viewer Comments: Choking - Experience

Choking is a blockage of the upper airway by food or other objects, which prevents a person from breathing effectively. Choking can cause a simple coughing fit, but complete blockage of the airway may lead to death.

Choking is a true medical emergency that requires fast, appropriate action by anyone available. Emergency medical teams may not arrive in time to save a choking person's life.

Breathing is an essential part of life. When we inhale, we breathe in a mix of nitrogen (75%), oxygen (21%), carbon dioxide, and other gases (4%).

• In the lungs, oxygen enters the bloodstream to travel to the rest of the body. Our bodies use oxygen as a fuel source to make energy from the food we eat. Carbon dioxide, a waste product, enters the bloodstream and travels back to the lungs.
• When we exhale, we breathe out carbon dioxide (8%), nitrogen (71%), and oxygen (16%).
• When someone is choking with a completely blocked airway, no oxygen can enter the lungs. The brain is extremely sensitive to this lack of oxygen and begins to die within four to six minutes. It is during this time that first aid must take place. Irreversible brain death occurs in as little as 10 minutes.

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