Treat any significant obstruction as a complete obstruction. Because without oxygen a person's brain will begin to die within 4 to 6 minutes, immediate action is necessary to save a life. However, the action taken to render aid must be done properly, calmly and in the correct manner. Many things can cause a person to choke. Eating while laughing at the same time, eating too fast, eating with poorly fitted dentures and not chewing food sufficiently can cause choking.
Alcohol consumption can affect awareness and cause a person to choke.
Trauma to a person's head or face producing bleeding, can cause choking. The Heimlich Maneuver should be performed only when a person truly can not breath or is not getting sufficient air to their lungs. If someone is choking, first determine if the person requires assistance by asking if they are okay. ONLY if the person cannot speak or cannot cough, should you perform the Heimlich Maneuver. How to perform the Heimlich maneuver correctly 1.