Choking causes
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
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.
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