# Obstructed Airway

An obstructed airway occurs when the airway is partially or fully blocked, preventing normal breathing. It can be caused by choking, swelling, or foreign objects.

**What is an Obstructed Airway?**

## First Aid for an Obstructed Airway

1. Encourage Coughing: If the casualty is conscious and able to cough, encourage them to continue.
2. DRSABCD: If the person is unconscious, check their airways for a blockage, and follow DRSABCD.
3. Back Blows: If the person cannot cough effectively enough to dislodge the object, perform back blows. Deliver 5 blows between their shoulder blades with the heel of your palm.
4. Chest Thrusts: If back blows are ineffective, perform chest thrusts. Stand the person with their back against a wall. Using two hands, press firmly into their chest, on their sternum. Perform 5 chest thrusts.
5. Alternate Techniques: Continue the cycle of back blows and chest thrusts until the object is dislodged, professional help arrives, or the person loses consciousness.

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First Aid Glossary · https://cprcourseportadelaide.au/glossary/obstructed-airway · Australia Wide First Aid (RTO 31961).