If you hear a victim coughing, what can you assume?

When you hear a victim coughing, it indicates that they are able to produce sound and are likely able to breathe on their own. Coughing is a natural reflex that helps clear the airway and is a sign of airway patency, meaning that air is still moving in and out of the lungs.

Coughing can occur if the person is experiencing choking, and in such cases, it is often better to encourage the victim to cough forcefully rather than intervening immediately with back blows or the Heimlich maneuver, as they may still be able to expel the object on their own. Therefore, the ability to cough confirms that the individual is breathing, which eliminates the possibility of them requiring immediate assistance like rescue breathing or direct airway intervention, as would be the case if they were unable to cough or speak.