What to Do If You’re Choking When You’re Alone
- Anthony Kidd
- Mar 15
- 3 min read
Choking is a frightening emergency that can happen in seconds. Most people think about helping someone else who is choking, but many choking incidents actually happen when a person is alone at home.
If you are choking by yourself and cannot breathe, cough, or speak, knowing what to do could save your life. The good news is that there are techniques you can use on yourself to try to clear the obstruction until help arrives.
First: Recognize the Signs of Severe Choking
A choking emergency occurs when an object blocks the airway and prevents air from reaching the lungs.
Signs of severe choking include:
Inability to breathe
Inability to speak
Weak or silent coughing
Clutching the throat
Panic or distress
Skin turning bluish
If you can cough forcefully, continue coughing. Strong coughing is often the best way to clear the airway naturally.
If you cannot breathe or cough effectively, you need to act immediately.
Call 911 If Possible
If you are able, call 911 right away or activate emergency services on your phone.
Even if you clear the obstruction, emergency responders may still need to evaluate you.
Many smartphones allow you to activate emergency services using voice commands such as:
“Hey Siri, call 911”
“OK Google, call 911”
If calling is not possible, focus on clearing the obstruction.
Perform Self-Abdominal Thrusts
Abdominal thrusts (often called the Heimlich maneuver) can be performed on yourself.
Follow these steps:
Make a fist with one hand.
Place the thumb side of your fist just above your belly button and below your rib cage.
Grab your fist with your other hand.
Push inward and upward sharply into your abdomen.
Repeat thrusts quickly until the object comes out.
The goal is to create enough pressure in your chest to force air from the lungs and push the obstruction out of your airway.
Use a Solid Object for Thrusts
If you are unable to generate enough force with your hands, you can use a firm object.
Common options include:
The back of a chair
A countertop edge
A table edge
A railing
Lean over the object so it presses into your upper abdomen (just above the belly button), then forcefully thrust your body downward and inward.
This can create the same pressure as abdominal thrusts.
Keep Trying Until the Object Clears
Continue performing thrusts until:
The object is expelled
You can breathe again
Help arrives
Even after the airway clears, it is a good idea to seek medical evaluation, especially if the episode was severe.
How to Reduce the Risk of Choking
Many choking emergencies are preventable. Simple habits can lower the risk.
Tips include:
Cut food into smaller pieces
Chew food thoroughly
Avoid talking or laughing while chewing
Avoid excessive alcohol while eating
Be cautious with foods known to cause choking (steak, hot dogs, grapes, hard candy)
Children and older adults are at higher risk of choking and should be supervised when appropriate.
Learn CPR and First Aid
Knowing how to respond to choking emergencies—both for yourself and others—is a critical life skill.
CPR and First Aid training teaches:
How to help a choking adult, child, or infant
When to call 911
How to perform abdominal thrusts and back blows
How to respond to cardiac arrest using CPR and an AED
At CPR Safety 411, our CPR and First Aid classes provide hands-on training so you can respond confidently in real emergencies.
👉 If your workplace, organization, or family group needs training, you can request a class here:
Final Thoughts
Choking can happen quickly and unexpectedly. If you ever find yourself choking while alone, remember:
Try to cough forcefully first
Perform self-abdominal thrusts
Use a solid object like a chair or counter if needed
Call 911 if possible
These simple actions can make the difference between life and death.
Being prepared—and learning CPR and First Aid—helps protect not only yourself but the people around you.
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