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Abstract Background This literature review explores the terminology, the neurophysiology, and the assessment of cough in general, in the framework of dysphagia and regarding head and neck cancer patients at risk for dysphagia. In the dysphagic population, cough is currently assessed perceptually during a clinical swallowing evaluation or aerodynamically. Recent findings Recent findings have shown intra and inter‐rater disagreements regarding perceptual scoring of cough. Also, aerodynamic measurements are impractical in a routine bedside assessment. Coughing, however, is considered to be a clinically relevant sign of aspiration and dysphagia in head and cancer patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Conclusion This article surveys the literature regarding the established cough assessment and stresses the need to implement innovative methods for assessing cough in head and neck cancer patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy at risk for dysphagia.