Foreign Body Airway Obstruction (FBAO), commonly known as choking, occurs when an object — often food — partially or completely blocks the airway and prevents normal breathing. It is a medical emergency that can rapidly progress to respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest if the airway is not cleared.

With a mild obstruction the person can still cough and breathe, and rescuers should encourage continued coughing. With a severe obstruction (silent, unable to speak or breathe), responders perform abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver) in adults and children, and back blows alternating with chest thrusts in infants. If the victim becomes unresponsive, CPR is started immediately, checking the mouth for the object before giving breaths.

CPR Certification Labs provides hands-on, American Heart Association–aligned CPR, BLS, ACLS, and PALS certification training to help providers master these life-saving skills.