When faced with a choking adult, providing proper first aid can be crucial to saving a life. Airway blockage can be partial or complete.

Here are the steps you need to take:

If the person can breathe, speak and cough, it is necessary to encourage him to cough. If a foreign object is visible as an obvious cause of choking, remove it.

If the person is conscious, cannot speak, cough or breathe, it is necessary to help remove the foreign object.

Assess the situation: Quickly assess the severity of the choking. If the person cannot speak, cough or breathe and shows signs of suffocation, act immediately. Call an ambulance: Immediately call the emergency number 194 or ask someone nearby to do so. Position yourself on the side of the patient, support the chest in front with your hand, tilt it forward and strike between the shoulder blades with the lower palm, up to five times. Stop if a foreign object pops out of the airway. If pounding between the shoulder blades fails to dislodge the foreign object, administer the Heimlich maneuver: If the person is unable to cough, administer the Heimlich maneuver to try to clear the airway obstruction. Here are the steps to perform the Heimlich procedure: Stand behind the person and wrap your arms around the person’s waist. Make a fist and place it between the navel and the lower part of the chest. Lean the person forward and approach them from behind. Press your hands firmly and quickly inward and upward. Repeat the pressure 5 times, then check for signs of improvement. If the person becomes unconscious: If the person loses consciousness, start CPR immediately. Lay her on a flat surface, open her airway and begin chest compressions and artificial respiration. After 30 compressions, check the oral cavity before giving artificial respiration. If a foreign object is visible, remove it. It is important to remember that these steps are only guidelines and it is best to take a first aid course to gain practical knowledge and life saving skills. If an adult is short of breath, seek emergency medical attention as soon as possible.