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If the person cannot speak or is having a hard time breathing, you need to act fast to help the person. You should perform repeated cycles of 5 back blows followed by 5 abdominal thrusts until the object comes out or the person becomes unconscious. In pregnant or obese people, chest thrusts should be done instead of abdominal thrusts.
To perform back blows: Stand behind the person. For a child, you may have to kneel. Wrap one arm around to support the person's upper body. Lean the person forward until the chest is about parallel to the ground. Use the heel of your other hand to deliver a firm blow between the person's shoulder blades. Check if the object is dislodged. Continue to give a total of 5 back blows.
Review Date 2/10/2026
Updated by: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
