How is choking treated?

First aid for choking

1. Give five back blows. Stand or kneel behind the person and place one hand between the person's shoulder blades. Give five quick, forceful blows with the heel of your other hand.

2. Perform five chest thrusts. If the back blows do not dislodge the object, give five chest thrusts. Stand or kneel in front of the person and place the heel of one hand on the person's sternum, between the nipples. Give five quick, forceful thrusts inward, about 2 inches deep.

3. Continue alternating between back blows and chest thrusts until the object is dislodged or the person becomes unconscious. If the person becomes unconscious, start CPR.

If the person is unconscious:

1. Call 911 immediately.

2. Start CPR. If you are trained in CPR, start chest compressions and rescue breaths.

3. Continue CPR until the person starts breathing again or until emergency medical help arrives.

Note: If the person is pregnant or has a large abdomen, you may need to perform abdominal thrusts instead of chest thrusts. To perform abdominal thrusts, place one hand on the person's abdomen, just below the rib cage. Give five quick, forceful thrusts inward, about 2 inches deep.

Choking is a serious medical emergency. If you see someone choking, do not hesitate to provide first aid.