Which of the following is a potential symptom of decompression sickness?

Numbness is a recognized potential symptom of decompression sickness, often referred to as "the bends." Decompression sickness occurs when a diver ascends too quickly after being at depth, leading to the formation of nitrogen bubbles in the body. These bubbles can affect various tissues, including the nervous system, leading to neurological symptoms such as numbness or tingling in the extremities. This can signal nerve or tissue damage as a result of inadequate pressure changes.

While other symptoms like nausea and severe coughing can occur in various diving-related situations, they are not as directly associated with decompression sickness as numbness is, which specifically indicates neurological involvement from gas bubbles. Hence, numbness is a key indicator of this condition.