We're god's perfect creations, except accidentally running the very simple commands "swallow" and "breath" at the same time can result in a fatal error.
this post was submitted on 23 Feb 2026
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Holding down the up and power button brings my phone into recovery mode... It's a bit like that. Just don't run both commands, if you don't want to ~~wipe~~ disable your device.
Now tell me what to do when I swallow a too-large piece of potato that is also still hot, and am having a near-death experience while it's slowly making its way down.
Learn to be ok with taking the L and spit food that is too hot back out of your mouth instead of swallowing. Also, test the temperature with smaller bits that will cool inside your mouth easier before going for a big bite.
Too late. I have a hot potato piece in the esophagus right now, and the tunnel in my sight. I don't need preaching, I need urgent advice.
Hmm ok, let me do some research on hot potatoes and I'll get back to you.
hot and starchy
Water. Lots of it.
Spray liquid nitrogen directly down your throat
I remember health class around 1993 we were watching a filmstrip from the 70s or early 80s, and the filmstrip told us to do the back blows before performing the Heimlich maneuver. Our health teacher then paused the video and told us NOT to do the back blows, because new research had found that back blows are more likely to push the obstruction further inwards.
I’m glad they had it right in the filmstrip!
The more eyes the better and this seems to be the recommendation:
If an adult or child can still cough, cry or speak clearly, then they are still able to clear the obstruction themselves. Get them to lean forward while encouraging them to cough forcefully.
If the person goes quiet, cannot speak or cry, or can only weakly cough, you want to start with five strong back blows first. With the person bent forward at their hips, deliver firm glancing blows between their shoulder blades using the heel of your hand up to five times.
If the obstruction does not clear, switch to abdominal thrusts. Continue alternating five back blows and five abdominal thrusts until the obstruction is cleared or the person becomes unconscious.
I'm still looking for what to do if I'm alone and something happens.
The article also uses the text "In the updated guidelines, our Canadian study was cited to inform this critical change, and was the only study directly comparing different choking techniques." to link here:
https://cpr.heart.org/en/resuscitation-science/cpr-and-ecc-guidelines/adult-basic-life-support
But I see no mention of any of these directions there. If someone does, let me know where I'm scanning over.
Edit: Failing at adding an underline to signal the actual link while having the URL readable.
Edit: Added the preceding "then they are still able to clear the obstruction themselves" paragraph that I'd mostly scanned over when reading the article
It's something I've thought about a bunch and the strategy I've come up with is:
If your breath is blocked, hold your breath at first and stay calm. Trying to breathe in could wedge it farther in. And trying to breathe out will likely move it, but gravity might just drop it back where it was only with less air in your lungs, which you need to help dislodge the obstruction. Panicking will make you more likely to waste your chance at getting it without needing to fall on something and potentially break ribs (or fail and die). You'll probably have to suppress your cough reflex. I've never done this before and have no idea how much conscious control one would have in that moment and I'm also someone who trained myself to be able to suppress coughs (to avoid embarrasing bong hits lol).
Lean forward, the farther the better, to the point where loose food in your throat will just fall out your mouth. Then cough, if you make it also a growl, you can add more force, as you don't want to half-ass this. Your air might still be limited.
You should be able to feel if you're making any progress. If you are, keep at it, if not, switch to the "fall on something to knock the wind out of you" strategy, still keeping your mouth angled down and add a cough as it impacts.
If that fails, make a big ruckus. I've told my daughter that if she starts choking and can't speak to get my attention, knock dishes onto the floor to get my attention. If you're completely alone in your home, throw a pot out your window before running out your front door. Try to be efficient with your time and energy. Dial 911 and hope they send someone and don't assume a prank call or a kid when no one responds.
I’m still looking for what to do if I’m alone and something happens.
This video is surprisingly entertaining and covers:
- You can't talk to 911 (or equivalent) if you're chocking
- Ideally go where people might see you
- How to try to dislodge what you're chocking on if no-one helps
Back when I was in Boy Scouts, we learned how to do abdominal thrusts, and how to do it to yourself. You make the same hand shape (IIRC, one hand clasped over the other with your thumb knuckles forming a triangle into the abdomin), and place your hand in the back of a chair (assuming you're near a chair, which is likely). You then press yourself into it.
the extra information is pretty important too… afaik most remediation for choking should be avoided early on because it’s actually fairly likely the person can clear the obstruction themselves, but if you time a thrust with their breath it can be very bad, and actually cause them to suck the object further in when they gasp for air
not a doctor or anyone with medical training, but i heard it at some point and it kinda makes sense
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If you're alone. Call 911 (or your regions equivalent) and wait outside for emergency services. Keep trying to cough while you wait. If you see anyone flag them down but don't go searching for people. I know you're looking for a self heimlich but your safest bet is to keep trying to cough and to wait for emergency services or for other help to come along. Getting the thrust you need to clear your airway, especially while starved for oxygen, is not guaranteed. So if you ever find yourself in that situation call for help. If you start choking and you're a healthy adult you'll have 3 to 5 minutes of consciousness. Use it wisely.
I had to wait 45 minutes for an ambulance when I thought I was about to die. You'll fall unconscious within 5 minutes. Die within the next 5. Even if you manage to make the call, they won't know what the hell is wrong with you because you can't talk. Learning to save yourself in that situation is extremely important, because actual first responders won't make it there on time.
that seems… atypical? in australia at least, the average response time for a code 1 (most critical) emergency is 15-16min depending on the state
which is still super problematic for complete obstruction (your 5+5min might even be too high for a complete obstruction)
but 45min would make the ambulance service as a whole basically a useless concept
Depends on where you are. I'm a stone's throw from the ambulance. I can quite literally see it out my back window. Most people in the city I live in will see an ambulance within 10 minutes of the call. Contrast that with where I lived a couple of years ago, and 45 minutes might be the earliest, and up to 90 minutes at the most. We had one ambulance for ~20,000 people in a 1,000 square mile area. If ambulance one was called out, a second ambulance was rolled from the next area over to just the edge of ours. I'd say that situation was pretty typical for 5-10% of the people in my greater geographical area, i.e., if you lived outside of a big city.
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Great, now I can't wait to E.Honda the shit out of someone's back.
Plenty of people are very slap-happy to get you out of any remotely cough-looking situation, as if they're doing a great service to humanity by going around whacking people in the back. Gotta swat them away like pests.
From Hundred Hand Slap to a variation of his forward P throw....
I had a surreal experience once. I was at a busy, casual restaurant at a booth, sitting across from my wife. There was a lady eating alone at a booth a little way behind my wife, and I noticed she looked kind of distressed - looking around like she was trying to catch a waiter - but she seemed to be getting more panicked looking and her face didn't look right. I got up and went over and said "Are you chocking?" and she looked at me with big eyes and nodded. I asked if she wanted me to try and help and she said yes and stood up. I never learned how to do the Heimlich except from TV shows, but seemed worth a try, so I did what I remembered, and she coughed up a piece of chicken. She looked really embarrassed and said "Thank you." I said I was glad to help and went back to my seat. No one in the place noticed a thing except for my wife.
I have the exact opposite experience. I was waiting tables at place with a stage and 500 seats, lights are out, I notice a woman is choking and I went for the heimlich, successfully dislodged something as the house lights were brought on and 500 people are staring at us.
Oh, wow. What did people do, applaud?
Right after the comedian said "well that was fucking crazy"
I could not have gotten out of that room fast enough
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holy shit! pretty calm, glad it was chill, but you totally saved their life!!
Funny, when I sat back down, my wife just calmly said, "Did you just save that woman's life?" It was weird, we just went back to eating and never really talked about it again except when someone would mention the Heimlich and my wife would tell the story.
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thankfully all i do is blow backs. everytime i see someone i make sure to blow their back. im just back blowing nonstop. i saw your mother at the market last week and blew her back.
Thank you for your service
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Interesting. I was eating at a restaurant with my mom a few years ago and she accidentally inhaled a piece of food which had the same diameter as her esophagus. It was terrifying. She just pointed at her throat and had this look on her face like she knew she was going to die. She stood up, turned around, and I did what I thought was the heimlich maneuver. I must've done it right, or got lucky, but it worked flawlessly. The food came flying out. I guess we're in that 59%.
The same thing happened to my son. Luckily I had first aid training and actually knew how to do the Heimlich. I didn't know that you were supposed to do back blows first though. When I learned, they just told me to go straight for the Heimlich.
Finally, a YSK post that actually is a YSK.
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