Need help right now?
If someone needs immediate help with strangulation, use emergency mode.
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DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person was choked by hand, rope, cord, or fabric around the neck. They may be unconscious or have voice changes and bruising.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Call 112. Remove pressure from neck if hanging. CPR if not breathing. Do not twist neck.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Marks, bruising, or rope burns on neck. Petechiae (tiny red spots) on face or eyes.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, drooling, or worsening breathing.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Unconscious, seizure, or not breathing after release.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Neck compression can fracture structures, cause brain injury from lack of blood flow, and swelling may block airway minutes later.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Person may talk normally at first then collapse — delayed airway swelling is common.
Check the scene before you approach.
Neck injury is likely. Minimize neck movement during rescue and CPR.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Ensure scene safe — call police if assault. Call 112.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If person is hanging: support body weight, cut ligature or loosen knot if rescuers not on scene.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Lay person flat if no breathing — start CPR with minimal neck movement.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If breathing: keep still, semi-sitting if easier to breathe, monitor constantly.
When and how to get professional help.
All strangulation and hanging survivors need emergency care — internal neck injury may have no visible marks.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Free airway, support breathing, call police and ambulance. Do not attempt to treat neck injury beyond basic life support.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Tell 112: "Strangulation/hanging. Breathing: yes/no. Conscious: yes/no. Assault suspected: yes/no."
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Request police if intentional harm.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT assume they are fine because they can speak.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT massage or heat the neck.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT let them walk away without ambulance evaluation.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If there are no marks on the neck, strangulation did not happen
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Internal injury can be severe with minimal visible bruising. Medical evaluation is still required.
Other scenarios in the same family.
Asthma attack
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person with asthma is wheezing, coughing, and struggling to breathe. Their usual inhaler is not enough.
Smoke inhalation
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person was in a fire, burning building, or heavy smoke and now has cough, hoarseness, or difficulty breathing.
Epiglottitis
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Sudden severe sore throat with fever, drooling, muffled voice, and difficulty swallowing — often in older children or adults.
Hard to breathe
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person is breathing fast, shallow, or with great effort. They may feel they cannot get enough air.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do not give food or drink.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — All strangulation survivors need hospital monitoring — stroke and airway swelling can occur without obvious external injury.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Hoarseness or trouble swallowing developing after release means call 112 again — airway may be swelling.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Survivor sent home develops fatal airway swelling or stroke.