The medical terminology for choking is foreign body airway obstruction. The most common cause of choking is food that gets stuck in the trachea. Choking also can occur when something becomes lodged in the esophagus, the tube that transports food to the stomach, effectively squeezing the trachea from behind.
Treatment for choking depends on the severity of the situation—for instance, mild choking may be resolved by encouraging the person to cough forcefully. Severe choking—when the person can’t speak, cry, cough, or breathe—is best treated by giving five sharp blows between the person’s shoulder blades with the heel of your hand or by performing the Heimlich maneuver.
Treatment also depends on the age of the patient. Infant choking is treated differently than choking in adults and children over 1 year old. In kids under 1, severe choking—when the person can’t speak, cry, cough, or breathe—is best treated by giving five sharp blows between the person’s shoulder blades with the heel of your hand, or by using chest thrusts. The Heimlich maneuver can be used for choking in adults and children over 1.