Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Choking causes
Introduction
Causes
Causes
Choking can be caused by:
- Introduction of a foreign object into the airway, which becomes lodged in the pharynx, larynx or trachea.
- Respiratory diseases that involve obstruction of the airway.
- Compression of the laryngopharynx, larynx or trachea in strangles.
Foreign Objects
The type of choking most commonly recognised as such by the public is the lodging of foreign objects in the airway. This type of choking is often suffered by small children, who are unable to appreciate the hazard inherent in putting small objects in their mouth. In adults, it mostly occurs whilst the patient is eating.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]