Serrano ham is a highly appreciated culinary delight in Spain and the rest of the world. Its soft texture and exquisite flavor make it a always successful option for charcuterie boards, toasts or sliced ??tastings. However, this is a rather fatty and slippery food, which can pose certain risks if not chewed properly. In fact, ham bacon is one of the foods that causes the most choking in children, although adults are not exempt from this danger either.

Almost 3,000 people died from choking in Spain in 2021, according to the INE, making it one of the main causes of unnatural death. Choking happens when an object or food becomes trapped, usually in the throat, thus preventing air from entering the lungs. Next, we explain how to differentiate the degree of choking and what first aid you should perform.

In mild cases of choking in which there is only some discomfort, the person is able to make sounds and usually feels like clearing their throat. The tendency is to cough loudly and forcefully to try to expel the food that bothers you. On the other hand, the symptoms of severe choking would be a silent cough, the inability to speak and make sounds, and serious breathing difficulties. If the person puts their hands to their neck in distress and their skin takes on a bluish hue, it is likely that they have a serious obstruction.

It is as important to remain calm in these types of situations as it is to act quickly. If you notice that the fat from the ham is clogging your throat, avoid swallowing more food and take a few small sips of water to try to dislodge the fat. Do not try to induce vomiting, as this could block the throat completely.

If you have difficulty breathing, use a rigid surface, for example, the top of the chair or the edge of the counter, on which to perform self-compressions, inward and upward, below the ribs, until you expel the piece of ham. If the blockage persists, drop back into the chair. You’ll probably break a rib, but that’s better than dying from suffocation.

If you are accompanied, ask for help to perform the Heimlich maneuver. A person should wrap their fist over their abdomen, below the ribs, and press inward and upward firmly and repetitively until the foreign body is expelled. This technique can be alternated with interscapular blows. If you lose consciousness, you should call 112 and, while medical assistance arrives, lie down the choking person and kneel to perform compressions on the floor.

To avoid choking, it is best to crumble the ham into small pieces, set aside the bacon and chew at least 20 times before swallowing.