Man chokes while having egg at restaurant. Bengaluru heart doctor shares how a life-saving technique by the man's friend saved him

Choking on food typically occurs when eating too quickly, talking while chewing, or having a dry throat with insufficient saliva—causing food to accidentally enter the trachea (windpipe) rather than the esophagus. While mild episodes are harmless and easily cleared by coughing or drinking water, severe choking causes complete airway obstruction. Without immediate first aid, oxygen deprivation to the brain can turn fatal within minutes. Highlighting the urgency of quick action, Bengaluru heart doctor Deepak Krishnamurthy, associated with KIMS Hospitals, recently re-shared a video on his X handle demonstrating how a prompt life-saving technique by a friend rescued a man choking on an egg at a restaurant.

Man saves friend’s life through rapid first-aid technique

The video originally posted by a Kannada digital publication opened to two men having lunch at a restaurant on MG Road in Ernakulam. As per the report, while eating, a piece of boiled egg accidentally got stuck inside the throat of the man, identified as Aneesh, a native of Kollam. As Aneesh experienced breathing difficulty, his friend Maneesh rushed to his aid.


Maneesh knew what he had to do. He immediately performed a technique called Heimlich maneuver also known as abdominal thrusts. According to the Mayo Clinic, abdominal thrusts work by exerting pressure under the diaphragm. This compresses the lungs and forces a burst of trapped air upward through the trachea, acting like an artificial cough to pop out the lodged item. After a few terrifying seconds of performing the rapid first-aid response, Aneesh threw up the egg, averting a major tragedy.

How to perform Heimlich maneuver

Here’s how to perform Heimlich maneuver, as shared by Cleveland Clinic:


Stand Behind the Person: Position yourself directly behind them and wrap your arms around their waist. Tilt their upper body slightly forward.

Make a Fist: Clench one hand into a fist and place the thumb side against their stomach, just above the navel (belly button) and well below the breastbone.

Grasp Your Fist: Wrap your other hand firmly over the fist.

Deliver Upward Thrusts: Press hard and fast into their abdomen with a quick inward and upward movement—as if attempting to lift the person up.

Repeat: Perform up to 5 abdominal thrusts in quick succession.

The American Red Cross recommends alternating between 5 back blows between the shoulder blades and 5 abdominal thrusts until the airway clears.