India, May 2 -- While choking is a commonly occurring medical emergency that almost every person has experienced and/or witnessed, sometimes it can get really serious and life-threatening. It is when an object, such as food, obstructs the airway, prevents breathing and restricts oxygen supply to the brain.

In most cases where the airway is partially obstructed, choking is cured by a fit of violent coughing. However, in serious cases, the person experiencing it needs help to restore their oxygen supply to the brain in time. Taking to Instagram on May 1, Dr Jeremy London, a board-certified heart surgeon with more than 25 years of experience, explained how best to assist them and potentially save lives.

According to Dr London, the first th...