What is an airway obstruction?

An airway obstruction is a blockage in any part of the airway. The airway is a complex system of tubes that transmits inhaled air from your nose and mouth into your lungs. An obstruction may partially or totally prevent air from getting into your lungs.

Some airway obstructions are minor, while others are life threatening emergencies that require immediate medical attention.

The types of airway obstructions are classified based on where the obstruction occurs and how much it blocks:

An airway obstruction is often depicted as someone choking on a piece of food. But that’s only one of many things that can cause an airway obstruction. Other causes include:

Children have a higher risk of obstruction by foreign objects than adults. They have smaller airways and they’re more likely to stick toys and other small objects in their noses and mouths. In addition, they may not chew food well before swallowing.

Other risk factors for airway obstruction include:

The signs and symptoms of an airway obstruction depend on the cause. They also depend on the location of the obstruction. Signs and symptoms you may experience include:

Certain tests may also be used to determine the cause of your airway obstruction. During an emergency, your doctor will likely order an X-ray first to determine the cause of your symptoms.

If an X-ray fails to determine the cause of the obstruction, your doctor may choose to order more advanced testing. This may include a bronchoscopy.

During this procedure, your doctor inserts an instrument called a bronchoscope through your mouth or nose to look into your lungs for any foreign bodies.

Bronchoscopy can also help identify infectious causes by sampling mucus and sending it for culture. It can also be used to remove mucus plugs, which can occur in patients with chronic lung conditions like emphysema and cystic fibrosis.

Your doctor may also order a laryngoscopy. During this procedure, they will examine your larynx with an instrument called a laryngoscope.

Additional tests may include a CT scan of the head, neck, or chest to determine other sources of obstruction, such as epiglottitis, an infection and inflammation of the epiglottis.

The epiglottis is the flap of tissue that protects and covers your trachea to prevent food and foreign bodies from entering.

An airway obstruction is usually a medical emergency. Call 911 someone near you is experiencing an airway obstruction.

There are some things you can do to help while you’re waiting for emergency services to arrive, including the following.

This is an emergency technique that may help a person who is choking on a foreign object:

Note: The Red Cross also recommends including five back blows, although some institutes, such as the American Heart Association, don’t teach this technique.

If following the Red Cross technique, repeat the cycle of five back blows and five abdominal thrusts until the object becomes dislodged or emergency services arrive.

Note that the back blow and abdominal thrust technique is typically used for infants.

Epinephrine can be used to treat airway swelling due to an allergic reaction.

People with severe allergies, such as those with allergies to food or bee stings, can develop sudden and rapid swelling of the throat and tongue. This can lead to near or complete airway obstruction within minutes.

People who have severe allergies usually carry an EpiPen. These are simple injectors containing epinephrine. People who carry an EpiPen are instructed to deliver one injection into the outer thigh as soon as they experience symptoms of a severe allergic reaction.

An epinephrine injector can help a person experiencing anaphylactic shock while they’re waiting for medical services to arrive. Medical professionals should always evaluate people who receive epinephrine injections as soon as possible.

CPR is used when a person is unable to breathe and has lost consciousness. It keeps oxygenated blood flowing to the brain until emergency services arrive.

Once an ambulance has arrived, there are several different ways airway obstruction can be treated based on what caused it.

An endotracheal or nasotracheal tube may be inserted into the airway. This can help get oxygen through swollen airways. A tracheostomy and cricothyrotomy are surgical openings made in the airway to bypass an obstruction.

These procedures should be performed by highly trained medical professionals and are generally required when all of the above interventions have failed.

With prompt treatment, an airway obstruction can often be treated successfully. However, airway obstructions are extremely dangerous. They can be fatal even with treatment.

If you or someone near you is experiencing an airway obstruction, seek emergency medical attention.

Many types of airway obstructions can be prevented. You can help reduce your risk by doing the following:

Last medically reviewed on July 19, 2021

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