How To Vape Without Coughing

Coughing sometimes when you vape is quite normal, and most vapers have experienced this at some point. There are a few reasons why this might be happening, and all of these can easily be avoided/fixed to keep your vaping experience smooth and satisfying. We will be diving into the reasons behind why you might be coughing when you vape as well as how to prevent these factors from negatively influencing your puffs.

Why Do I Cough When I Vape?

If you want to stop coughing when you vape, you first need to identify what is causing you to cough. These factors can range anywhere from biological factors and e-liquids to techniques and hardware. Here are reasons why you might be coughing while you vape (try to identify which might apply to you):

• You are new to vaping
• Type of nicotine
• High nicotine levels
• Vegetable glycerine (VG) and propylene glycol (PG) levels
• Sensitivities to certain flavourings
• Inhalation technique
• Increased power levels
• Dehydration
• Cilia restoration from quitting smoking

You Are New To Vaping 

If you made the transition from smoking to vaping or just started vaping, you are much more likely to cough when taking hits from your device. This is because your body needs time to adapt to this new experience and get used to the fact that vaping is not something strange.

Type Of Nicotine

There are two main types of nicotine used in e-liquids, and either one could be the reason behind your cough. This is due to biological sensitivities to either or both types of nicotine. 

• Freebase nicotine: Freebase nicotine is known to be slightly harsher on the throat in higher concentrations. E-liquids that contain freebase nicotine usually have lower nicotine strengths.

• Nicotine salts: Nicotine salts have much higher nicotine levels than freebase e-liquids, and this form of nicotine absorbs much quicker. They are also known for producing a smoother throat hit. 

High Nicotine Levels

The higher your nicotine strength, the more irritation it could cause in your throat and lungs. Rather try out an e-liquid or disposable with a lower nicotine strength to see if it satisfies your cravings. You can always choose stronger e-liquids if necessary afterwards. Either way, you will need to experiment a little to find what works best for you.

Vegetable Glycerine (VG) And Propylene Glycol (PG) Levels

E-liquids consist of four main ingredients: vegetable glycerin (VG), propylene glycol (PG), flavourings, and nicotine. VG and PG are referred to as the base liquids, making up the largest part of your e-liquid. Your e-liquid can be 100% VG, 100% PG, or a different ratio of both (such as 50/50 VG and PG, or 70/30 VG and PG). 

• Vegetable glycerin: VG is a thick and viscous liquid that allows vapers to produce dense clouds. It is also much sweeter than PG and provides a smoother throat hit.

• Propylene glycol: PG is much thinner and is very efficient at carrying flavours. You will also get a stronger throat hit from higher PG e-liquids.

Users are more likely to be prone to PG sensitivities (and even allergies) than to VG, although it could go either way. There are also other e-liquid ingredients that users may be sensitive to that can differ across brands.

Sensitivities To Certain Flavourings

Certain flavours may be described as “throaty,” but any type of flavourings can be causing your issues. Menthol and cinnamon flavours generally irritate the throat, while bakery and dessert flavour profiles seem less likely to cause irritation.

Inhalation Technique

You need to know how to inhale properly when using a vape pen if you do not want to end up coughing all the time. There are two main inhalation techniques you can use when vaping: 

• Mouth-to-lung (MTL): MTL vaping is similar to taking a puff from a cigarette. You simply draw the vapour into your mouth, then into your lungs, and exhale. Other characteristics of MTL vaping include a tighter airflow, lower power output, higher nicotine strengths, and less vapour production.

• Direct-to-lung (DTL): Most vapers prefer DTL vaping, where you directly inhale the vapour into your lungs and exhale. In contrast, DTL vaping offers open airflow, higher power output, lower nicotine strengths, and much greater vapour production.

Mixing up both styles, taking too faint of a draw, or drawing inconsistently can irritate your throat and lead to coughing. Additionally, if you try to take an MTL draw on a powerful and open air DTL device (or vice versa), you will most likely cough a lot. 

Increased Power Levels

If your device is set to a high power setting, this could be the reason why you cough when you vape. Of course your vapour needs to be warm and delicious, but too much heat can become unpleasant, especially to sensitive users. Start with a lower power setting and adjust it until you find your sweet spot.

Dehydration

Staying hydrated is important in general, but even more so for vapers. Dry cough can be a symptom of dehydration, which can be intensified by the ingredients in e-liquid. VG and PG are hygroscopic, so they absorb moisture, and nicotine is also linked to dehydration. 

Cilia Restoration From Quitting Smoking

Our lungs contain trillions of tiny hair-like structures called cilia. These work to keep the lungs clear by filtering out dust particles, mucus, and other debris. Tobacco smoke is known to paralyse and destroy cilia. 

Cilia damage can be reversed if you quit smoking, but you might experience irritation as they regrow. This could lead to coughing, and would probably have occurred regardless of whether or not you started vaping.

Tips For Vaping Without Coughing

Now that you know what could possibly be causing you to cough when you vape, you can identify the issue and go from there. Here are some tips on how to vape without coughing:

• Get used to vaping: Coughing while vaping tends to be temporary – experiment with different e-liquids, devices, settings, and vaping styles until you find what combination  works best for you. 

• Try different types of nicotine and strengths: You have two nicotine options: freebase and nicotine salts. Either can cause irritation, so make a switch if this could be the issue. Switching to a lower nicotine strength may also reduce the need to cough.

• Experiment with VG/PG ratios and flavours: PG can cause irritation and allergic reactions, so try switching to VG e-liquids. Some users may be sensitive to specific flavourings, so go for a different brand or another flavour category (desserts are the safest in terms of least throat irritation).

• Practise inhaling properly and suit it to your device: Make sure you know how to inhale properly and that you are using the right style for your device. Smaller and low-powered devices are fit for MTL vaping, while larger and high powered devices are made for DTL vaping.

• Lower your power settings: Your power settings determine the amount of heat and vapour you will get in each puff. If it is too much for you to tolerate, turn the power down.

• Stay hydrated: Vaping can make you more prone to dehydration, so always make sure that you are drinking enough water.

Vaping should be an enjoyable experience, and there are so many measures put into place for it to be just that. There are tons of options available on the market, so you are sure to find something that works for you with some experimentation. Make sure that you know how your devices and other components work together so it does not affect your vaping experience negatively with a cough.