Airway obstruction

Airway obstruction - Narrowing or blockage of the respiratory passages. The obstruction may be due to a foreign body, such as a piece of food, that becomes lodged in part of the upper airway and may result in choking.

Certain disorders, such as diphtheria and lung cancer, can cause obstruction. Additionally, spasm of the muscular walls of the airway, as occurs in bronchospasm (a feature of asthma), results in breathing difficulty.