Category: (Sado)Masochism
Subcategory: Types

Choking – Arterial

Arterial choking applies pressure to the sides of the neck, compressing the carotid arteries that deliver blood to the brain while leaving the windpipe relatively unaffected. This is typically done with a V-shaped hand position, squeezing the sides of the neck while avoiding pressure on the front.

This technique temporarily reduces blood flow to the brain rather than restricting breathing. The physical effects include lightheadedness, visual changes, and potential brief altered consciousness, occurring more rapidly than with windpipe restriction. The recipient can typically still breathe and speak, distinguishing it from windpipe choking. All forms of choking carry inherent risks including stroke, seizure, cardiac arrhythmia, and death that cannot fully be eliminated through technique.

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This is a description of an activity in the BDSM checklist (also known as a 'kink list'). Want to discover what (more) kinks you might have? Maybe share them with a partner? Start the checklist!

About the category (Sado)Masochism

Sadomasochism involves the consensual exchange of sensation that many would find painful or intense in non-erotic contexts. This spectrum encompasses both the giving (sadism) and receiving (masochism) of such sensations, creating experiences where pain, intensity, and pleasure become interwoven through deliberate and controlled application.

People enjoy sadomasochistic activities for diverse reasons: the intense endorphin rush that creates natural highs, the intimate trust required between partners, the transformation of pain into pleasure through context and arousal, and the cathartic release many experience through intense sensation. Rather than being about suffering, well-executed SM play creates unique states of consciousness and connection that many practitioners find impossible to access through other means, offering profound physical and psychological experiences when practiced with skill and care.



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