Assisted Cough for a Person Who Is Obese

If your cough is weak, and it is difficult to bring up mucus or you know you have lots of mucus, you need an assisted cough. In an assisted cough, another person pushes on your chest to help you cough. An assisted cough is done while you are sitting up in a bed or chair. If you are in a wheelchair, be sure to put the brakes on.

This style is useful if you are overweight.

• Your caregiver places his or her hands on the lower part of your rib cage, with the fingers wrapping around your sides pointing toward your back and the thumbs pointing inward, toward the center of your chest.
• You take a deep breath and hold it.
• You cough while the caregiver squeezes your ribs up and in. It may take practice to coordinate your cough with the motion.

If you are pregnant, talk with your doctor before using an assisted cough. Most specialists do not recommend using an assisted cough for pregnant women, especially in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

Credits

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Nancy Greenwald, MD - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Last Revised	February 16, 2011