In the terms used for the epiglottis, which pairing is correct?

• A. Smothering above the epiglottis; Choking below
• B. Choking above the epiglottis; Smothering below
• C. Smothering below the epiglottis; Choking above
• D. Suffocation above the epiglottis; Drowning below

Answer: (A)

Think of the epiglottis as the gateway to the airway. When air is blocked in the upper throat, above the epiglottis, it feels like you’re being smothered because the obstruction is at the entrance to the airway itself. If the blockage is lower, below the epiglottis—inside the larynx or trachea—the situation is described as choking, since the airway itself is obstructed further down. This is why the pairing “smothering above the epiglottis; choking below” fits the anatomy. The other terms like suffocation or drowning describe broader or different scenarios and don’t align with where the blockage lies relative to the epiglottis.