Why Does Vaping Make Me Cough?

Why does vaping make me cough?

A vaping cough is very common, especially when you are new to it. It usually comes from the nicotine strength being too high, from the propylene glycol in the liquid. It can also come from inhaling too fast like a cigarette. It is almost always fixable. Most people stop coughing within the first few weeks as they adjust.

It helps to know it is rarely anything serious. The cough is your throat reacting to the aerosol, not a sign of harm in most cases, while small changes usually settle it. This page runs through the common causes, the simple fixes and when a cough is worth getting checked.

Let us look at the causes, the fixes and when to see a GP.

The reassuring thing is that this is one of the most common questions new vapers ask. It almost always has a simple answer. Working out which cause applies to you is the quickest route to fixing it, so it is worth running through them one at a time rather than giving up.

The common causes

A few common things tend to trigger the cough. The usual culprits are nicotine strength being too high, sensitivity to propylene glycol, inhaling too deeply or quickly, plus a device that is too powerful for you, with new vapers most affected as their throat adjusts.

• Nicotine too high: a strong throat hit can trigger the cough reflex.
• PG sensitivity: propylene glycol can dry and scratch the throat.
• Technique: inhaling fast and deep like a cigarette overwhelms the throat.
• Device too strong: high power produces more hot vapour than you need.

For former smokers there is one more. As your airways recover from smoking, the tiny hairs that clear the lungs start working again, which can bring a temporary clearing cough, a sign of the lungs waking up rather than of harm from vaping.

This recovery cough tends to ease as the weeks pass and the airways finish clearing. It can feel odd to cough more after switching to something less harmful, though it reflects the lungs doing housekeeping that smoke had been suppressing, which is a step in the right direction overall.

The simple fixes

Most coughs respond well to a few easy changes. Lowering the nicotine strength, choosing nic salts or a higher VG liquid, then using a slow mouth to lung draw rather than a fast deep one usually settle it, along with staying hydrated and not chain vaping.

Nic salts are worth a mention here, since they feel smoother on the throat than freebase nicotine at the same strength, which often resolves the cough on its own. A mouth to lung technique, where you draw the vapour into your mouth first and then breathe it in, is gentler than pulling it straight to the lungs. If your device feels too powerful, a simpler pod style kit tends to be kinder.

It is also worth trying just one change at a time. If you lower the strength, switch the liquid and change your technique all at once, you will not know which fixed it. Adjusting one thing, giving it a day or two, then trying the next makes it easier to land on a setup that suits you.

When to see a GP

Most vaping coughs are harmless and soon pass. A cough that lasts, gets worse, brings up blood, then comes with chest pain or breathlessness should be checked by a GP, regardless of whether you vape, since those signs need proper assessment rather than guesswork.

For the everyday tickle that comes with being new to vaping, the fixes above usually do the job within a week or two. If you have tried lowering the strength, switching to nic salts or a higher VG liquid and adjusting your technique and the cough persists, it is worth a conversation with your GP or pharmacist to rule anything else out.

• Usually temporary: new vaper cough often settles within a couple of weeks.
• Try the fixes first: lower strength, nic salts or higher VG, slower draw.
• Get checked if: it lasts, worsens, brings blood, then chest pain appears.
• Ask if unsure: a GP or pharmacist can put your mind at rest.

Does a vaping cough mean it is damaging my lungs?

In most cases, no. An occasional cough when you vape is usually your throat reacting to the aerosol or to a strength that is too high for you, rather than a sign of lung damage. It tends to settle once you adjust the strength, the liquid or your technique.

That said, your body is worth listening to. A cough that keeps going despite the usual fixes, along with one that comes with other symptoms, deserves a proper check rather than guesswork. Getting it looked at is sensible regardless of whether you vape, since it is the surest way to set your mind at ease.

If you want to dig deeper, see our explainer on whether vaping causes throat sensitivity. It pairs well with our guide on why vaping makes you feel sick and our look at whether vaping is bad for you.

For the full set of guides, the vaping and health hub brings everything together in one place.

Frequently asked questions