In choking adults, which technique is used to dislodge the obstruction?

• A. Calm and reassure casualty
• B. Begin abdominal thrusts
• C. Give 5 back slaps between shoulder blades
• D. Give 5 back slaps between shoulder blades to dislodge the obstruction

Answer: (C)

Back blows between the shoulder blades are the initial technique used to dislodge a choking obstruction in a conscious adult. Deliver five firm blows with the heel of your hand between the scapulae, with the casualty leaning slightly forward. The goal is to generate a sudden pressure change that can push the object out of the airway without invasive measures. If the obstruction isn’t cleared after those five blows, move on to abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver) and continue with the sequence as needed until the airway is clear or help arrives. Calmly reassuring the casualty is important, but it doesn’t remove the blockage, and abdominal thrusts are typically used after attempting back blows or when back blows alone aren’t successful. The emphasis is on the back blows as the immediate action to dislodge the obstruction.