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Why Does Vaping Make Me Cough?
Health Guides
Coughing is the most commonly reported side effect of new vapers and it affects many established vapers too. The cause is almost always identifiable and almost always fixable. Here is how to work out which of the common causes applies to you.
No. 1
Most Commonly Reported New Vaper Side Effect
PG
Primary Chemical Cause in Most Cases
Fixable
Every Major Cause Has a Straightforward Practical Solution
The short answer
Why Does Vaping Make Me Cough?
Several distinct causes — each with a specific fix
PG sensitivity, inhaling technique and nicotine strength are the most common
Vaping causes coughing through several mechanisms that vary depending on whether you are a new or established vaper, the device and liquid you are using and your individual airway sensitivity. The most common causes are: propylene glycol irritating the throat and airways, incorrect inhalation technique particularly in new vapers, nicotine strength being too high and producing throat hit that triggers the cough reflex, a degraded or under-primed coil, and in former smokers — the clearing of airways that have been suppressed by tobacco smoke. Each cause has a different presentation and a specific fix.
This is not medical advice. A cough that is persistent, productive of blood or accompanied by chest pain or shortness of breath that does not resolve warrants a GP visit regardless of vaping status.
The causes, one by one
What Is Making You Cough and How to Tell
Propylene Glycol Throat Irritation
PG produces a throat hit — the sensation of impact at the back of the throat that many vapers find satisfying but which can irritate the airways in people with sensitivity to it. High-PG liquids (50% PG and above) produce a more pronounced throat hit and more irritation than high-VG liquids. The cough from PG sensitivity tends to be dry and tickling, occurring on inhalation, and is more pronounced with higher-PG formulations and higher nicotine strengths. If your cough is dry, catches at the back of the throat and improves when you drink water or switch to a softer draw, PG is almost certainly the primary cause. The fix is switching to a higher-VG liquid — 70% VG or higher. Many vapers find a 70/30 split resolves the cough entirely.
Inhaling Technique — the New Vaper Issue
Cigarette smokers draw smoke into the mouth and then inhale to the lungs in a two-stage process. Many new vapers attempt to inhale vapour directly into the lungs in one motion — what device manufacturers call direct-to-lung (DTL) inhalation. For most pod and pen devices designed for mouth-to-lung (MTL) use, DTL inhalation delivers vapour directly to the airways at a pace and volume they are not accustomed to, triggering a cough reflex. Slowing the draw, pulling vapour gently to the mouth first and then inhaling more softly to the lungs — replicating the cigarette technique — resolves technique-related coughing quickly for most new vapers. It typically takes one to two sessions to build the right habit.
Nicotine Strength and Throat Hit
Higher nicotine concentrations produce a harsher throat hit, particularly in freebase nicotine liquids. A 20mg freebase liquid has a significantly more pronounced throat feel than a 20mg nicotine salt formulation, which uses a salt chemistry that delivers nicotine more smoothly. If you are using a freebase liquid at a high nicotine strength and coughing on the throat hit, either switching to a nicotine salt formulation at the same concentration or reducing to a lower freebase strength will reduce the irritation. Our Coventry team can advise on which format suits your device.
A Degraded or Improperly Primed Coil
A coil at the end of its life delivers burnt, acrid vapour that is almost guaranteed to cause coughing. The taste is distinctive — harsh, dry and unmistakeably burnt. A new coil that has not been adequately primed before use produces a similar experience. Replacing the coil, adding several drops of liquid directly to the coil wick before installing it and allowing it to sit saturated for five to ten minutes before the first use eliminates this cause entirely. If your cough started suddenly after a coil change or is accompanied by a burnt taste, the coil is the problem.
The Airways Clearing After Switching From Cigarettes
This is one of the most counterintuitive causes of vaping cough but one of the most important for recent switchers to understand. Tobacco smoke paralyses the cilia — the tiny hair-like structures that line the airways and move mucus and trapped particles out of the lungs. When smoking stops and vaping begins, the cilia begin to recover function within days to weeks and start actively clearing the accumulated mucus and debris that ciliary paralysis had allowed to build up. The cough that results — often a productive cough in the first two to four weeks after switching — is actually a positive sign. It represents the airways healing and clearing, not being damaged by vaping.
Dehydration and Dry Airway Irritation
PG draws moisture from the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat and airways. A chronically dry airway is more sensitive and more prone to coughing from any inhaled substance. Vapers who are not adequately compensating for PG-induced dehydration by drinking more water often find that their cough reduces significantly with increased hydration. If your cough is scratchy and dry, particularly later in the day when dehydration accumulates, increasing water intake is the first and simplest intervention to try.
"Nine times out of ten when a customer comes in coughing we know what it is before they finish describing it. Usually it is the PG ratio or the technique. Both are simple fixes."
Touch of Vape team, CoventryQuick diagnosis guide
Which Cause Is Making You Cough?
01
Dry catch at the throat on every draw
Likely PG sensitivity. Try a 70/30 or higher VG liquid for a week. If the cough improves, PG was the cause.
02
Coughing mainly when you first start vaping
Likely technique. Practise a slower, two-stage mouth-to-lung draw. Pull vapour gently to the mouth then inhale softly. Do not rush the inhale.
03
Harsh, burning taste alongside the cough
Almost certainly a degraded or unprimed coil. Replace the coil, prime it properly and allow it to saturate for five to ten minutes before use.
04
Productive cough in first 2–4 weeks after switching from cigarettes
Airways clearing from tobacco damage. This is a normal, positive process. It settles for most people within a month.
05
Cough worse in the afternoon and evening
Likely dehydration accumulating through the day. Increase water intake significantly and monitor over three days.
06
Cough started with a new liquid
Possible sensitivity to a specific flavouring compound. Return to your previous liquid and test the new one again after a few days. If the cough returns only with the new liquid, that formulation contains something your airways object to.
Touch of Vape Coventry
Not Sure What Is Making You Cough? Come Into Our Coventry Store
We diagnose cough causes in store every day. Bring your device and your liquid and we will work it out with you in a few minutes.
To find our Coventry store and our full range of liquids including high-VG formulations, visit our Vape Shop Coventry page.
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Vaping Cough Driving You Mad? Our Coventry Team Will Sort It.
Come in with your device and liquid — we will find the cause and fix it the same day.