A comatose patient who swallows saliva voluntarily may be waking up. If a comatose patient swallows saliva involuntarily, the coma may continue.
If a comatose patient is in a light coma and swallows spontaneously, it may be a sign that he or she is waking up. If the coma patient is in a deep coma, usually unconscious, even if the performance of swallowing saliva, but also involuntary swallowing reaction, and may remain in a state of coma, is not a sign of waking up.
If a comatose patient swallows on his own, it is recommended to give feedback to the attending doctor as soon as possible, and cooperate with the doctor to check the respiration and pupil changes in time to determine whether the patient is about to wake up. During the coma period, family members must strictly follow the doctor’s instructions for nursing care, to avoid causing lung infections or bedsores.