If a choking victim cannot speak or cough, you should

• A. Call emergency services and perform abdominal thrusts
• B. Give water to drink
• C. Do nothing
• D. Perform mouth-to-mouth only

Answer: (A)

When someone is choking and cannot speak or cough, their airway is completely blocked. The fastest and most effective way to relieve a complete obstruction is to perform abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver). Those quick inward and upward thrusts force the diaphragm to rise, generating enough pressure to pop the object free and clear the airway. At the same time, have someone call emergency services so professional help is on the way, because you may need additional assistance if the object doesn’t come out right away.

Giving water isn’t helpful here and can make things worse by adding liquid to a blocked airway. Mouth-to-mouth alone won’t remove the obstruction and isn’t the appropriate response for a severe blockage. If the person becomes unresponsive, begin CPR with chest compressions and rescue breaths.