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There are several reasons why vaping can make you cough. The technique of vaping is usually the main cause of coughing. You need to vape like a vaper, not a smoker. The strength of the e-liquid could be another reason, as well as the ratio of e-liquid you’re vaping.
We’ve all made the transition from smoking to vaping and then embarrassingly stuttered in the middle of vaping. Although vaping comes with a host of benefits when making the switch from smoking, the occasional and literal hiccup is not unheard of, especially when vaping for the first time. But what happens when we have a cough or hiccups? How common are coughs and hiccups with smoking and vaping? And what is the reason for this? We look at the science behind it.
Cough
According to the National Health Service, “Coughing is a reflex action to clear your airways of mucus and irritants like dust or smoke.” A cough can be classified as “dry” when it’s not producing mucus, or “chest-like” when you’re trying to clear your airways of mucus. While cough is often the result of a respiratory infection, e.g. B. a cold or laryngitis, smoking can also be a cause.
cough when smoking
A smoker’s cough often develops in long-term smokers and is persistent; H. it will likely last for more than a few weeks. It is often worse in the morning and then improves slightly as the day progresses. This cough is usually caused by the inhaled smoke weakening the cells in your airways, allowing toxins to enter the lungs. The resulting cough is your body’s attempt to clear the toxins from your lungs.
It is difficult to distinguish a normal smoker’s cough from something more serious, e.g. B. from lung cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is basically a narrowing of the lungs. But if you notice blood in your phlegm, a hoarse voice, or shortness of breath, your best bet is to see your GP.
Cough when vaping
Coughing while vaping is also not an uncommon phenomenon. According to a survey of 600 vapers, around 57% of them admitted to coughing when using an e-cigarette for the first time. However, after an adjustment period of around ten weeks, 92% of the vapers no longer had a problem with the cough. 1% no longer had a problem with coughing after a week and 7% found that they were still coughing. This is slightly more soothing than smoker’s cough, which only seems to get worse over time.
But what causes the cough when vaping in the first place? A very likely reason for this is the synthetic organic compound of propylene glycol, which is a key ingredient in most e-liquids.
Canada Vapes explains to PG: “Most e-liquids contain at least 80% and up to 92% propylene glycol. This is the ingredient that creates the smoke-like vapor when you puff on the e-cigarette and then exhale it.” A side effect of propylene glycol is a sore throat, and this can lead to a cough. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified PG as a safe additive, which is also often used in cosmetics, medicines, and foods.
Another factor that contributes to coughing while vaping could be the nicotine content of the e-liquid. It is often found that higher nicotine strength is more likely to cause a cough. Aside from the ingredients, another common reason for coughing is simply the technique used. According to ecigarette-politics.com, many smokers use a method where they inhale the smoke directly into their lungs. However, when it comes to vaping, the recommended mouth-to-lung method is to draw the vapor into your mouth, hold it, and inhale as needed. Using direct-to-lung inhalation when vaping is likely to cause coughing. That’s because tobacco smoke contains anesthetics meant to reduce throat irritation, while vapor does not.
What is the solution?
With the cough reducing from 57% to 7% after ten weeks, the primary and obvious solution is to just keep vaping until your body adjusts. While PG and nicotine help, you could try experimenting with the amount of PG, nicotine strength, and type of nicotine in your e-cigarettes.
Nicotine salt e-liquids are specially designed to ease the transition from smoking to vaping by providing the smoothest vaping experience possible. At CAK we have a range of nicotine salt e-liquids that we are confident will help reduce coughing.
Most e-liquids contain propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. You may find that a higher percentage of vegetable glycerin, a lower nicotine strength, or a softer nicotine salt e-liquid is easier on your throat. Additionally, it can be beneficial to experiment with your vaporization technique until you find one that works for you
hiccup
When it comes to hiccups, the National Health Service says, “Hiccups occur when the diaphragm contracts (strains) suddenly and involuntarily, causing a hiccupping sound to be made at the top of the windpipe.” Hiccups, also known as “singultus,” can also be caused by smoking. While there isn’t much research on the causes, there are theories about it, such as B. inhaling too deeply or the sudden change in temperature when you go outside to smoke.
Hiccups while vaping
While not as common as coughing, vaping hiccups are also not uncommon. While there’s far less research into hiccups while vaping, there’s a recurring suspicion as to why this happens.
If you get the hiccups mid-vape, it’s probably again due to the nicotine content of the e-cigarette. This phenomenon has even coined the popular term “hiccups” and has also been noted in other nicotine-containing products, such as nicotine gum. There isn’t much scientific evidence as to why nicotine causes hiccups. However, it most commonly occurs with high nicotine consumption or when inhaling too much nicotine in one go.
What is the solution?
The obvious solution to avoiding hiccups is to refrain from overly heavy vaping sessions and reduce the amount of nicotine in your e-liquid. At CAK we offer a variety of e-liquids with different nicotine strengths. They range from 0mg/ml (zero nicotine) to 18mg/ml (1.8% nicotine).
Also, make sure you don’t ingest a drop of the e-liquid from your e-cigarette, as this nicotine consumption is also very likely to lead to the occasional hiccup. If you find this to be the case, your best bet is to try a different tank or vape.
Smoking VS Vaping
Although coughs and hiccups are possible with both smoking and vaping, the effects of vaping cough and vaping hiccups are generally less harmful than in smokers. If you decide to make the switch, Gov.uk states that e-cigarettes are around 95% less harmful than tobacco cigarettes. They are also significantly less addictive as you can adjust the nicotine levels to your liking. Finally, with the three ingredients that e-cigarettes contain, you don’t have to worry about the 4000 chemicals you would find in a single cigarette.
