ALL CHOKED UP

Relieving Airway Obstructions

- Kerry Davis

We’ve all been there — you swallow a piece of food that was too big and begin to panic that it won’t go down. For some people, it actually doesn’t go down and starts to become a medical emergency. However, taking too big a bite isn’t the only thing that could cause you to stop breathing. Let’s look at some common airway obstructions and methods to relieve them.

What is the Airway?

Let’s talk about the airway first. It’s the gateway to your respiratory system and can be divided into two sections: the upper airway and the lower airway. The upper airway is comprised of the nasopharynx (nose and throat) and the oropharynx (mouth and throat). The lower airway consists of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe) before it branches off into the lungs via bronchioles and, finally, alveoli, the small clusters of air sacs where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged via the bloodstream.

What’s an AO?

An airway obstruction is, quite simply, some type of blockage in any part of the respiratory tract that'll prevent you from being able to get enough oxygen to breathe. The obstruction can be partially or totally obstructed, and it may have various causes.

Types of AO