Upper airway obstruction (UAO) is a clinical emergency characterized by severe obstruction of upper airway airflow due to a variety of reasons. Its clinical manifestations are non-specific and can be easily confused with diseases such as bronchial asthma and obstructive pulmonary disease. Clinically, this disease is more common in children and relatively rare in adults. There are many causes of upper airway obstruction, among which exogenous foreign bodies are the most common, and the other more common causes include laryngeal dyskinesia, infection, tumors, trauma, and iatrogenic causes. Timely recognition and treatment of upper airway obstruction are of great clinical significance, because most patients have previously been healthy and can fully recover after effective treatment.