Choking or Food Stuck in the Throat: When Is It an Emergency?

Most of us have had a moment when a piece of food goes down the wrong way. Usually a cough clears it. The worry is the difference between a scary cough and a blocked airway, and between food that is stuck in the airway and food that is stuck in the food pipe (gullet). This page explains the signs of each, when to call 911, and what to do while help is coming. It is not a replacement for a first-aid course, and we strongly encourage you to take one.

How do I tell choking from a normal cough?

The key question is whether air is still moving.

• Mild blockage: the person can cough, speak or breathe, even if they are red-faced and frightened.
• Severe blockage: they cannot speak, cough or breathe, may clutch their throat, make high-pitched or no sounds, and may turn blue or lose consciousness.
• Children and babies may go silent, look panicked or become floppy.
• Food stuck in the gullet usually allows breathing, but the person may drool, feel pain behind the breastbone or be unable to swallow even saliva.

What basic first aid is used for severe choking?

Call 911 first, or ask someone nearby to call while you help. The widely published steps for an adult or child who cannot breathe are firm back blows between the shoulder blades, followed by abdominal thrusts if the blockage remains. Babies under one year need a separate technique using back blows and chest thrusts. Details differ between guidelines, so please learn the steps from an accredited first-aid course rather than from a web page.

• Do not put your fingers into the mouth blindly; you may push the object further in.
• Do not give water or food to someone who is choking.
• If the person becomes unconscious, tell the 911 operator and follow their instructions.

What if food still feels stuck after I swallow?

A lump that stays behind the breastbone or in the throat can mean food is lodged in the gullet. This is not the same as a blocked airway, but it should not be ignored, especially after meat, bones or fish bones.

• Sip a little water only if you can swallow without choking or pain.
• Do not try to force it down with large pieces of bread or by swallowing hard.
• Do not drink fizzy drinks or other home remedies to push it through if you are in pain or drooling.
• If it does not clear within a short time, or you have pain, drooling or cannot swallow saliva, get checked in the ER.

Choking or food stuck: what could it be?

When is this an emergency?

See a doctor the same day if:

• Food that felt stuck for a while and has now cleared, but you still have pain or a scratchy throat.
• A cough that continues after a choking episode.
• A child who choked and seems fine now. Get them checked the same day.
• A swallowed fish bone or small bone you can still feel.

May be managed at home, with follow-up, if:

• A brief cough that clears completely and you feel well.
• Mild throat scratchiness for a few hours that settles with sips of water.
• Prevention: sit down to eat, chew well, cut children's food into small pieces and avoid giving whole nuts, grapes or hard sweets to young children.

What happens when you come to Emergency Plus?

At the emergency department at Emergency Plus in Dabouq, emergency doctors are on site 24/7 and you can walk in without an appointment. The team will ask about your symptoms, check you, and may use the on-site X-ray, ultrasound or laboratory where they are needed. They will explain the right next step for you, in Arabic or English.

Sources

• MedlinePlus — Choking, adult or child over 1 year
• MedlinePlus — Choking, infant under 1 year
• HealthyChildren.org (AAP) — Choking prevention
• WHO — Emergency care