Experts say being able to recognize the signs of choking and knowing can help save a person’s life if they get food stuck in their throat
A 43-year-old man lost his life in Kurnool after choking on a dosa. According to news reports, Venkataiah was eating dosa at a local eatery and suddenly began to cough up loudly as the food became lodged in his throat. However, despite being taken to a local hospital, he suffocated on the dosa, leading to his death.
Eyewitnesses have reported that Venkataiah had consumed alcohol prior to eating the dosa, which may have contributed to the incident.
What happens when you choke on food?
Every year, thousands of people across the world die from choking which affects any age group. However, statistics say it is more common in children ages 0–3 years and in adults over the age of 60. Choking is the fourth leading cause of accidental death.
According to experts, being able to recognise the signs of choking and knowing can help save a person’s life if they get food stuck in their throat. It involves removing food obstructions along with the use of the Heimlich manoeuvre, necessary in an emergency situation.
When you swallow food, it involves a lot of involuntary muscle movements – which does not prevent you from becoming stuck in your throat. Along with the muscles, your tongue also pushes the food to the back of the throat. However, sometimes food can get stuck around the esophagus, leading to an uncomfortable sensation in your throat – allowing the food to enter the airways, resulting in choking.
This blockage not only leads to pain but also causes extreme discomfort and if not acted up in an emergency, can even cause death.
How can you tell if a person is choking?
Doctors say choking can cause extreme breathing issues due to acute obstruction of the airways. A person who is choking will be unable to inhale or exhale enough air to cough. A few signs and symptoms that indicate choking include:
- Silent coughing or gagging
- Wheezing
- Clutching the throat
- An inability to speak or breathe
- A blue tint to the skin, called cyanosis
If you are choking Heimlich maneuver can be used along with abdominal thrusts, which involve forcefully applying pressure to the abdomen to dislodge a blockage in the windpipe.
How to safely remove food blockages?
If food is stuck in your throat, there has to be a medical emergency. If the person is not choking, coughing hard can help remove it from being stuck. However, when that does not work, you can try the following methods:
Swallowing fluids or soft foods
It helps lubricate food and push it down.
Taking effervescent tablets
These pills can lead to the formation of carbon dioxide gas, which helps relieve food blockages.
Drinking carbonated drinks
Sodas help push the food down.
Simethicone
Simethicone is a drug that helps bring gas bubbles together in a larger density forming pressure in the esophagus that releases food blockages.
Ways to prevent choking
According to doctors, a few handy tips you must know to prevent food from creating obstructions in your throat.
- Eating smaller mouthfuls of food
- Chewing food slowly
- Not drinking alcohol before or during meals
- Always supervise children when they are eating
- Sitting straight while eating
- Chopping food into very small pieces before giving it to children
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