If this is happening right now, treat it as a life-threatening emergency. If you can still cough forcefully, keep coughing. If you cannot breathe, speak, or cough effectively, call your local emergency number immediately and start self-rescue.
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Red Cross
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If you are alone and choking: what to do
Call emergency services immediately. If you cannot speak, keep the call open if possible; the American Red Cross says a dispatcher may still be able to send help.
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Red Cross
Make a fist and place it just above your belly button. Grasp the fist firmly with your other hand.
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Mayo Clinic
Bend forward over a firm, blunt surface, such as the back of a sturdy chair or the edge of a countertop.
Drive your upper abdomen forcefully inward and upward against the surface. Repeat thrusts until the obstruction comes out or you can breathe again.
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Red Cross
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Don’t use a sharp corner or edge. The objective is to create the same inward-and-upward force as an abdominal thrust without injuring yourself.
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Red Cross
Don’t make these mistakes
Don’t put your fingers blindly into your throat. You could push the food farther down.
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Red Cross Guidelines
Don’t waste time drinking water if you cannot breathe or speak.
Don’t assume you can simply wait it out if you’re unable to cough effectively.
If you become unconscious, CPR should be started by anyone who finds you; rescuers should look for the object in the mouth only when it is visible, rather than performing a blind finger sweep.
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Red Cross Guidelines
Important: These self-rescue instructions apply to a choking adult. Infants require a different procedure, and pregnancy or circumstances where abdominal thrusts aren’t appropriate require modified techniques.
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Red Cross
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The FDA reaffirmed in March 2026 that established Red Cross/American Heart Association choking protocols should be followed rather than improvised techniques.
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fda.gov
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