Acute Upper Airway Obstruction

Why acting quickly matters: acute upper airway obstruction is a sudden blockage of airflow in the throat or larynx that makes breathing difficult and is a medical emergency. It can be caused by a foreign body, a severe allergic reaction, an infection, or significant inflammation.

Warning signs: Sudden difficulty breathing, a high-pitched sound when inhaling, a muffled voice, bluish discoloration of the lips or skin, and evident distress.

What to do? This is a situation that requires immediate emergency care; you should not wait for it to improve on its own.

Which specialist treats it? In the emergency setting, the general practitioner and the internist perform the initial evaluation and, depending on the cause, the general surgeon may intervene to secure the airway. At any sign of choking, the priority is to seek emergency medical help without delay.