Most of us probably know it. The first puff on a cigarette, what a cough and scratchy throat it was? He did not want to stop. Well, even the new generations can’t avoid this experience. Not even if they take a drag on an e-cigarette instead of a cigarette. Some newcomers to vaporization complain of an unpleasant feeling in the throat, coughing or scratching when they take their first drag on an electronic cigarette. Some therefore give up directly and put the electric cigarette aside again. This is a pity, because the electric cigarette is definitely a good Alternative for quitting smoking and tobacco prevention is, what last even the German medical profession found.
What can be the causes of coughing when vaping?
Steamers are individualists. Except when it comes to coughing and itching the first time you vaporize, because Around 50% of vaporizers cough in the beginning. Research also confirms this by now – Coughing, itching and headaches are the most common side effects among newcomers. While every cigarette tastes more or less the same, even if tobacco smokers always claim the opposite, the world of e-cigarettes and liquids is just sprouting with possible combinations, mixtures and settings, for a lot, medium or little vapor. But every person reacts differently to Ingredients of the liquids. So while every cigarette tastes similar, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to electric cigarettes to ensure flawless vapor enjoyment. Especially if hardware, liquids and also e-cigarettes as a whole are new to you, scratching or coughing is likely at first, especially on the first puff. Flavors, PG / VG content and water content of the liquids, The nicotine content and also the vaporizer heads used have to be coordinated. And in the end tailored to you. The draw technique also has a big influence on it, as well as the power and voltage used (see also: Sub Ohm vaporizing).
Unlike tobacco cigarettes, which are generally smoked from the mouth to the lungs in Europe, e-cigarettes are distinguished between moderate vaping from the mouth to the lungs (MTL) and subohmic vaping with direct lung inhalation (DL). In MTL mode, rather lower power (10 to 15 watts) is vaporized at comparatively high resistances (about 1.0 ohms), while in the DL range, power of 80 to 100 watts at resistances between 0.1 and 0.2 ohms can also be encountered. If an inexperienced vaper starts with a setup that is not designed for the particular draw technique, this can lead to unpleasant side effects. Also, a nicotine-containing liquid is often used, since people usually start smoking slowly and rely on a lot of nicotine in the liquid to get started. Direct inhalation via lung draw now further enhances the effect of nicotine. So the possible solutions in this example would be either that the steamer should reduce the Nicotine content in the liquid reduced, uses nicotine-free liquids or chooses a different model that also supports the lung draw. But first, you should simply try out your E-cigarette draw technique Adjust, because it is also a common source of error, which initially leads to unpleasant side effects. Just try out the bake draw. Almost always it is user error that leads to coughing and scratching. But not always.
Coughing& Itching only temporary side effects with vaporizing
So for 90% of vapor users, the side effects are only temporary effects. Most people assume that it is due to the propylene glycol (PG) in the liquid. Thereby only about 10% of the population sensitive to propylene glycol, while the Number of allergy sufferers still much lower lies. In addition, occasionally other unknown ingredients, impurities, and byproducts in the vapor may also cause the coughing. But this raises another question. So why do almost all vaporizers stop coughing after a short time?? Why is the itch only a temporary side effect?. Well, there is no clear answer to this yet, as relevant long-term studies are lacking. But there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that it’s a lot like a regular tobacco cigarette – the body gets used to it.
Why does that make you cough& scratching after?
No anesthetic against coughing irritation
It has long been suspected that there are ingredients in tobacco smoke that suppress coughing in smokers. This is the only reason why you can inhale the smoke of a conventional cigarette at all, while you can hardly breathe in the cloud of smoke from a campfire, even though both processes involve burning dried plants, according to Chris Price of E-Cigarette Politics. And indeed: a few components of the 9600 ingredients in cigarette smoke Identified to date, really serve to make the smoke less irritating and prevent the consumer from coughing. This Narcotics and cough suppressants are not used for liquids and therefore not used in steaming, Which may be one explanation for the beginner’s coughing with electric cigarettes could be.
The draw technique
As mentioned in the beginning, a large part of the steamers consists of ex-smokers. Unlike in Asia, for example, in Europe the smoke of a cigarette is first inhaled into the mouth and from there into the lungs. Vaporizing in the MTL range corresponds most closely to this habit. A bake puff looks like you first draw the vapor into your mouth and only then inhale it. In devices optimized for sub-ohm vaping, the vapor is inhaled directly into the lungs ("direct lung"). Some vaporizers may experience that the technique they used when smoking causes coughing and itching with the electronic cigarette. This is another plausible explanation for why these temporary side effects wear off after a short time for experienced vaporists. Surveys indicate that method makes a difference for at least some vaporists (numbers, data& Facts about e-cigarettes in Germany). Ok, many of the respondents are unsure whether it was really the change of the smoking technique that led to an alleviation of the symptoms in the end, but still 30% of the respondents are sure that the back steaming is crucial.
The flicker hairs come back
Smoking destroys the sog. cigarette hairs. They’re small and hairy extensions of your airway that are also Cilia called are. If you stop smoking, they grow back slowly. The side effect of this regrowth is coughing. This explains why people often start coughing as soon as they stop smoking, among many other side effects, while it is often thought that the cough would come from smoking. Yes, indirectly it does. But the cough after quitting smoking is a clear sign of improvement. It is therefore suspected that coughing in novice steamers is due to cilia regrowth. It remains to be clarified here, however, why one then coughs at the first puff on the vapor likewise. It is probably a combination of many factors. The fact is, however, that in 90% of cases it quickly becomes less and finally stops completely.
The Throat Hit
Almost all people trying e-cigarettes for the first time rely on liquids containing nicotine, because otherwise they fear that the desired flash and throat hit will not occur. But at some point, interest in the flavors of the available Liquids. Therefore, many experienced vaporizers have at some point tried liquids that do not contain nicotine and found that there is almost no throat hit at all. So the higher the nicotine level, the higher the risk of scratchy vapor and coughing. But many vaporists need these effects to make a long-term switch to the electric cigarette. By the way: the model used also plays a role. Even experienced vaporists cough, for example, when they try sub-ohm vaping for the first time. So in the beginning, rely on a good and preset starter set for e-cigarettes. In addition, higher quality models release nicotine more effectively and quickly, allowing you to reduce the nicotine content in the liquids you use accordingly, which in turn leads to less coughing and itching. So this could also be a hidden reason why experienced vapers cough less – they rely on less and less nicotine over time, which is ultimately the goal for many.
The water balance
The ingredients of the liquids (PG and VG) attract water, which supports the formation of the dense, large and aromatic vapor cloud and is enormously important for the e-cigarette fan. But so, of course, the vapor attracts the water of the mucous membranes and oral cavity, which can occasionally lead to dehydration and sore throat.
Overview: what to do about it?
- Be patient: especially in the beginning it is normal when coughing and itching set in. Especially if you have switched from cigarettes to e-cigarettes. Before you panic and throw everything away, replace the e-cigarette completely or throw away the liquids, wait and see. Just the narcotic used in tobacco cigarettes, which suppresses the coughing stimulus and is not used in liquids, as well as the new draw technology and the regrowth of the cilia can be the cause and these subside over time by itself.
- Drawing technique: You have already waited and somehow it does not get better? Then start with the draw technique and use the cheek draw from now on, if you haven’t done so already.
- Reduce voltage and / or power: a high value means at the same time much vapor. And to which some people react with an itch in the throat, which can also develop into a coughing irritation.
- Check PG or VG contentthere are people, albeit few, who are allergic to PG or VG. So this is where you need to adjust your choice of liquids. Namely, there are liquids that consist either only of VG resp. PG exist, or whose PG / VG content is very low in proportion.
- Less nicotine content: we assume here that the e-cigarette as a conversion or. stop smoking aid is used. This is why a higher nicotine content is often recommended at the beginning, as otherwise the hoped-for effect may fail to materialize. If you don’t suffer from coughing or a scratchy throat, that’s all okay too. Should this be the case, however, a low nicotine level can work wonders.
- Drink a lot of water: we already mentioned the possible dehydration in the mouth and throat area. Against this it has always helped to drink a lot of water. Because both the propylene glycol and the vegetable glycerin in liquids can lead to a kind of small dehydration. Both ingredients attract water, which helps create the large and dense cloud of vapor that carries the flavor of the liquids. This can occasionally cause sore throats and contribute to coughing as the moisture in the mouth, throat and pharynx dissolves into vapor, so to speak.
- Renew hardware and / or vaporizer: Replace hardware – for numerous reasons, incorrectly used hardware can also lead to coughing fits. If you have tested all other measures but it does not get better, change hardware. Why? Common problems and usage errors with e-cigarettes.
- Testing liquids& CHANGE: not only the PG or VG content is crucial for the vapor experience, but also the flavor used. Some flavors can trigger coughing in certain people. So just try a different flavor or change the liquid supplier if you suffer continuously from coughing and itching.
Image credits:
Cover photo : Fotolia #160988162 | Auteur : Dmytro Flisak
12 thoughts on" Cough& Scratching in the throat when vaporizing? Here’s why! ”
- dirk 15. April 2018 at 6:16
hello, you have twisted lungs and cheek traction. in europe, cigarettes are rarely inhaled directly.
- Mike 24. May 2018 at 13:59
I was thinking the same thing. I was wondering, because I never inhaled cigarettes directly. &
If you really want that one can take this text seriously and especially newcomers are not completely irritated, then please change the draw techniques but immediately, because the direct lung draw is with the best will absolutely NO way to smoke in our latitudes.
You already got two hints before me, how many more do you need?
Lung pull when smoking a cigarette? Oh dear then I have probably smoked the last few years wrong&
First of all, I agree with the previous speaker. The direct lung draw is not common – at least in Europe – with tobacco cigarettes. In the Asian region it should be partly different. There, people may have lungs of steel. &
Still a great article. In my experience, coughing when switching to e-cigarettes is a common reason to give up and return to tobacco cigarettes. When I first used an e-cigarette in 2011, I coughed my heart out and threw the thing in the corner after two days. Only in 2017 I took the next attempt, because a steaming colleague has enlightened me comprehensively. After a week I was acclimatized and the cough disappeared. I have not smoked since.
In the first months I had to cough because my lungs got the chance to get rid of all the crap I had dumped into them with the cigarettes. Today shortness of breath and smoker’s cough are completely gone, I can do sports again and feel physically fit and efficient. I am so glad to have gone this route.
What irritates me, since few days I went from 3 g nicotine to 0 and coughing. It only works when I draw very minimally. What is going on?
Hi Erna, is it possible that the zero liquid has a different composition, meaning a different ratio of PG (propylene glycol) and VG (vegetable glycerin)? Or that the flavor is different, that there are substances in the liquid that your body is not used to? Or did you change the settings on the e-cigarette?Otherwise it is hard to answer from a distance. Just the omission of nicotine with otherwise the same liquid composition and the same operating parameters on the device should not really lead to a coughing fit.
Best regards from the InnoCigs team in Hamburg, Germany
- Patrick Gerhardt 23. July 2021 at 10:21
After two years still not corrected the posts with the draw technology, although here apparently read along. Which smoker smokes in Europe directly into the lungs? What is going on?
- InnoCigs Editorial29. July 2021 at 12:19
Moin Patrick, thanks for reading along attentively. The references are correct, there had crept in in this older contribution actually the error devil!
Kind regards,
the InnoCigs team from Hamburg
I’ve been smoking for 30 years, puffy. I tried the Iqos because it is still supposed to be harmless. But now I have noticed that it often itches in the throat. And sometimes I really have to cough. Maybe I should go back to smoking my light regular cigarettes after all, puffback?
- InnoCigs Editorial29. October 2021 at 13:02
the iqos is a tobacco heater, a so called "Heat Not Burn" product, where classic tobacco is not burned but heated up. Electric cigarettes work quite differently. There, a liquid, the liquid, consisting of vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, a freely selectable flavor and, if desired, nicotine is vaporized, i.e. vaporized on a coil through which electricity flows. Maybe this, demonstrably much less harmful alternative to tobacco cigarettes would be an option for you? By the way, also with the e-cigarette are different train techniques, the steaming with direct lung inhalation, but also the steaming from the mouth to the lungs, as you describe it, possible!
Best regards and have a nice weekend,
the InnoCigs team from Hamburg
Hello
I have only recently started to smoke e-cigarette.
My problem is that I have to clear my throat all the time and it feels as if a loo is stuck in my throat.
Even after research I could not find out anything so far.
MfG
Tim