Choking on food when you're home alone? Heart surgeon Dr Jeremy London shares emergency protocol to help clear airways

Medical emergencies like choking gets scarier when there is no one around to help. Thankfully, there are some emergency techniques you can try to buy some time.

Imagine you're home alone, eating dinner while watching TV, when a piece of food suddenly gets stuck in your throat. Within seconds, you're coughing, gasping for air and struggling to breathe. It's a frightening scenario, and your instinct may be to call for help. But what if there's no one around? In that moment, knowing a few simple emergency techniques could make all the difference.

Dr Jeremy London, a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with 25 years of experience, is explaining the emergency steps to take if you begin choking while you're alone at home with no one nearby to help. He outlines a simple protocol that could buy you valuable time while you wait for emergency assistance to arrive.

In an Instagram video shared on July 13, the heart surgeon states, “You’re home alone and choking. What do you do? Nobody is coming through the door to help. You’re the one who has to clear it. I hope this is a situation you never have to deal with. But having a few basic tactics ready could save your life.”

Step 1

According to Dr London, the first and most important step is to call 911 – or your local emergency number – immediately. Most smartphones allow hands-free or one-tap emergency calling, and even if you're unable to speak, keeping the line open can help emergency services trace your location and dispatch assistance to your address. The heart surgeon states, “First, if you’re able to, call 911. Most phones let you dial hands-free or with a single tap. Even if you can’t speak, an open line sends help to your address.”

Step 2

The next step, if you're able to, is to cough forcefully. Dr London points out that vigorous coughing can move more air through your airways than any other self-help technique and may help dislodge the object causing the blockage. He advises continuing to cough for as long and as forcefully as you can. The heart surgeon notes, “If you can still cough, keep coughing. Hard. A forceful cough moves more air than any technique you can do to yourself.”

Step 3

If coughing is no longer effective, the heart surgeon recommends attempting self-administered abdominal thrusts. Place a fist just above your navel and well below your breastbone, then use your other hand to push inward and upward with quick, firm thrusts. Repeating the manoeuvre may help generate enough pressure to dislodge the object obstructing your airway.

Dr London further explains, “If coughing stops working, give yourself abdominal thrusts. Make a fist. Place it above your navel, well below the breastbone. Grab it with your other hand and drive in and up. Sharp and fast. If your arms aren’t strong enough, use a chair. A counter. A railing. Position the edge just above your navel and drop your weight onto it – inward and up under the ribs. Let your body weight do the work. Repeat until it clears.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

Dr Jeremy London is a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon with more than 25 years of experience. He has an MD from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, and his focus is on the intersection of lifestyle, preventive medicine, and evidence-based longevity.