Choking and its Causes - Essay Example

"Choking and its Causes" is an interesting example of a paper on injuries and wounds.

Choking describes the involuntary difficulty of air from getting to the lungs. This situation occurs when mostly a foreign body usually food and liquids mistakenly instead of going through the esophagus passes through the windpipe blocking air to the lungs. The immediate sign of a person who is chocked exhibits is difficulty in breathing and wheezing. Chocking can occur to children as well as adults. It is essential to note that due to the failure of air getting to the lungs, this results in a lack of enough oxygen flow to the brains. This causes death and damage to brain cells and in extreme cases may cause death. 

Causes of choking 

The main causes of chocking are taking in food fast, doing things such as playing, walking, talking joyfully while eating food or drinking or with bits and pieces of food in the mouth. Moreover, to those who take alcohol, choking may occur when one takes it at the same time and before eating food as it dries the nerves that are responsible for swallowing food. Putting on dentures also interferes with the swallowing process also leads to choking (American Red Cross, n.d.). 

Signs of choking 

Signs of choking vary in adults and infants. When adults are choked, they reveal some or a combination of the following signs coughing and gagging, hand signals especially pointing to the throat and grabbing of the throat. Also, they pass out, wheeze, and a sudden difficulty in breathing. Finally, a condition known as cyanosis may arise whereby the choked person’s skin starts turning blue especially in lips, face, and fingernails beds. In infants, choking is identified when they have a weak cry or cough and trouble breathing. This is mostly revealed by the front movement of the rib cage while crying (Emedicine health, n.d.). 

Managing Choking 

Methods of managing a choke vary with age, conditions of the patient such as pregnancy, or whether choking has resulted in a partial or complete blockage of the windpipe. In case of a grownup, who has partial blockage then he should be encouraged to cough. On the other hand, when a complete choke occurs the best way of treatment is administer abdominal thrusts by leaning the patient forward, make a one-hand fist, putting your arms around him, grasp your fist with the other hand below the middle of the rib cage and make inward and upward to restart the diaphragm. This according to the American Heart Association should only be administered to children over one year old and adults. In infants under one year of age, one should administer a few back blows and chest thrusts while the child is held with the head slightly pointing downward. While in pregnant women, chest thrusts should be preferred to abdominal thrusts to manage a choke. In case of a serious choking, then one should contact the services of health practitioners who may administer shock abdominal thrusts (Emedicine health, n.d.). 

Prevention of choking 

The key measures to take to prevent choking are giving children soft food in case of infants, and manageable bits or pieces that they can swallow easily. In both adults and children, food should be taken in a calm state i.e. while sitting on a chair at a table. Besides, adults should seek to avoid wearing dentures and talking excitedly, walking, running while eating or drinking something.