How to Get Rid of a Dry Cough from Vaping

If you have a dry cough from vaping, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Many e-cigarette users (especially beginners) experience a vaping cough or “vaper’s cough” when they start. It can feel like a tickly, dry cough or irritated throat that just won’t quit. In fact, the NHS notes that coughing and a dry throat are common side effects of vaping. The good news is that this cough is usually temporary, and there are simple ways to fix it. In most cases, you can get rid of that vape cough by adjusting how and what you vape. This guide will explain why vapes can make you cough and, more importantly, how to get rid of a dry cough from vaping in simple, easy steps.

You might be wondering, “Why do I cough when I vape? I never coughed this much with cigarettes!” It’s actually pretty common for new vapers to cough when vaping – even people who never coughed from smoking may find vaping makes them cough at first. There are a few key reasons behind a cough from vaping, ranging from how you inhale to what’s in your e-liquid. Let’s break down the most common causes of vapers’ cough (and why vapes make you cough, but sometimes cigarettes don’t):

• New Vaper “Learning Curve”: Inhaling vapour is a different sensation from inhaling cigarette smoke. It takes time for your throat and lungs to adjust. One survey found that 57% of people coughed the first time they tried vaping, but after about 10 weeks, 92% of vapers had no more coughing issues. This shows that coughing when vaping is often a temporary response. Your body might just need a bit of time to get used to vapour.
  
  Also, if you recently quit smoking, your lungs are clearing out tar and mucus – a chesty cough from vaping is often really due to your past smoking. (Your body can cough up phlegm as it heals; even if you weren’t vaping, quitting cigarettes can cause a “quitter’s cough” for a few weeks). The tickly cough from vaping should improve as you gain experience and as your lungs recover from smoking.



• Harsh Throat Hit (PG & Nicotine): E-liquid contains propylene glycol (PG) and nicotine, both of which can irritate your throat. PG in particular is known to cause dryness – a high-PG vape juice can dry out your mouth and throat, leading to a tickly dry cough. Nicotine itself also contributes to an intense “throat hit.” If your nicotine strength is too high, it can make you cough more.
  
  Essentially, vaping a very strong nicotine e-liquid (especially in a powerful device) might hit your throat harder than expected, causing you to cough. This is one reason vaping can cause coughing for new users – it might be too much nicotine or PG for your comfort level.



• Inhaling Technique Differences: Vaping isn’t exactly like smoking, and using the wrong inhalation style can trigger coughing. Cigarette smokers often take quick, sharp puffs into the lungs. But with many vapes (especially mouth-to-lung devices), a slow, gentle inhale works better. If you try to inhale a vape directly into your lungs like a cigarette, you might end up coughing. This is because tobacco smoke contains chemicals (even mild anesthetics) that numb the throat, whereas vapour doesn’t have those. As a result, the raw throat sensation can be stronger. It’s important to learn how to inhale a vape properly without coughing – usually by using a mouth-to-lung method (drawing vapour into your mouth first, then breathing it into your lungs) instead of a deep lung inhale.
  
  Many people ask, “Why do vapes make me cough but not cigarettes?” The answer is often in the technique and additives: cigarettes deliver smoke differently and have additives that smooth the throat hit, so when you switch to pure vapour, you suddenly feel the full sensation, and it can make you cough. The way to solve this is simply adjusting how you inhale when vaping, as we’ll discuss below.



• Wrong Device or E-Liquid for Your Style: Not all vapes are the same. A powerful sub-ohm vape that produces big clouds is meant for direct lung inhales and usually uses low-nicotine, high-VG liquid. On the other hand, small pod kits or disposable vapes are designed for mouth-to-lung draws and often come with higher nicotine (like 18–20 mg salt nicotine). If you use the wrong combination – for example, a strong nicotine salt in a high-power sub-ohm vape – it can be extremely harsh and make you cough all of a sudden.
  
  Or if you put a very high-VG thick liquid into a tiny low-power vape, it might not vaporise properly, and you could get dry or weak hits that irritate your throat. This mismatch can lead to a vape making you cough all of a sudden when you change device or liquid. Always match your e-liquid to your device: use lower-nicotine and high-VG liquid in high-powered kits, and use 50/50 or nicotine salt liquids in smaller kits. This way you avoid unnecessarily strong throat hits that cause coughing.



• Flavour and Coolants: Certain e-liquid flavours and ingredients can also contribute to a vaping cough. Menthol or “ice” flavours and cinnamon are known to be throat irritants for some people. If you’re vaping a very mentholated (“ice” cold) e-liquid or a super sweet or spicy flavour, it might make your throat feel scratchy, resulting in coughing. Some vapers even joke that a particularly potent e-liquid gave them “the strawberry cough” (there’s even a vape flavour named Strawberry Cough!).
  
  The point is, vaping and coughing can sometimes be triggered by the flavour additives. If one flavour makes you cough, another flavour (perhaps a smoother fruit or dessert flavour) might agree with you more. So don’t hesitate to experiment with different e-liquid flavours if you suspect your vape juice is making you cough.



• Dry Hits or Burnt Coils: Ever taken a puff and gotten a nasty burnt taste that instantly made you hack and cough? That’s likely a dry hit when your coil is dry or worn out, and you’re essentially inhaling burning cotton. A burnt coil or low e-liquid in the tank can cause extremely harsh hits that will make anyone cough. If your vape is suddenly making you cough after it was fine before, check that your coil isn’t due for a change.
  
  Disposable vapes can also give dry hits when they’re nearly empty, which can feel like a sharp, dry coughing fit from vaping. Always keep your device properly maintained: ensure the coil is primed and saturated with e-liquid, don’t chain-vape so fast that the wick dries out, and replace coils/pods when they start to taste burnt. This will prevent those cough-inducing dry hits.



• Dehydration (Dry Throat): Vapour ingredients like PG (and even VG to some extent) attract moisture – they can dry out your throat and mouth. If you vape frequently, you might get a dry throat, and a dry throat is more prone to irritation and coughing. You might notice a vaping cough at night, for example, if you’ve been vaping all day and not drinking enough fluids, your throat gets dry, and a nighttime cough creeps in. Coughing when vaping is often your body’s way of saying it’s too dry. This cause is easily fixed by just drinking more water, which brings us to our first big tip in the next section.
  
  Now that we’ve covered why vaping can cause a cough, let’s look at how to inhale a vape without coughing and other remedies in detail.

A “vaper’s cough” doesn’t have to stick around. In most cases, a few adjustments can completely eliminate that cough from vaping. Here are some simple, practical tips to get rid of a dry cough from vaping. These tips are aimed at helping UK vapers enjoy their vape without irritation:

The simplest cure for a dry cough is to keep your throat moist. Vaping can dehydrate you because PG (propylene glycol) in e-liquid absorbs moisture from your throat. If you find yourself with a tickly cough from vaping, try drinking more water throughout the day. Have a bottle of water or tea nearby when you vape. Take sips regularly, including between puffs. This will prevent that dry, scratchy feeling in your throat that triggers coughing.

One vaping guide even noted that if you’re trying to figure out how to get rid of a dry cough from vaping, the first step is to start by drinking more water. Proper hydration can soothe an irritated throat and significantly cut down coughing. So, vaping and coughing often means grab a glass of water – you’ll be surprised how much this simple habit helps.

How you inhale a vape makes a huge difference. To inhale a vape properly without coughing, use a slow and steady technique. If you’re using a smaller vape pen or pod (MTL device), draw the vapour into your mouth first, then inhale into your lungs. Think of it like sipping the vapour rather than sucking it hard.

A gentle mouth-to-lung inhale gives your throat a softer experience. Avoid taking sudden, deep “drug-like” inhales straight to the lungs, especially on high-strength devices – that almost guarantees a coughing fit if you’re not used to it. Instead, take a slow 2-3 second puff, hold it in your mouth briefly, then breathe it in. This method mimics how you’d sip hot tea or draw on a cigar, and it’s much less likely to make you cough.

Remember: vaping is not exactly like smoking, so don’t “chew” on the vapour or inhale as aggressively as a cigarette at first. With a bit of practice, you’ll retrain yourself on how to vape without coughing at all. If you’re using a direct-lung style device (like a big cloud vape), make sure you lower the airflow or power if it’s too intense, and inhale directly but slowly. Finding the right inhale technique for your specific vape can help alleviate many coughing issues.

If vaping makes you cough a lot, check the nicotine level in your e-liquid. High nicotine, especially in freebase form, produces a harsher throat hit that can easily trigger coughing. For example, an 18mg or 20mg regular e-liquid can be quite rough on the throat for some people, whereas a 3mg or 6mg would be much smoother.

Does vaping cause coughing for you? It might be “too much nicotine, too soon.” Try using a lower nicotine concentration and see if your cough improves. In the UK, many disposable vapes and pod refills use nicotine salt at 18-20mg – nic salts are formulated to be gentler on the throat despite the high strength. If you’re coughing on a strong nic salt disposable, though, even that might be too much for you; consider stepping down to 10mg nic salt or a lower-strength freebase liquid. Your body will tell you when it’s “Oi, too strong!” (a cough is a clear signal).

Can vaping cause a cough if the nicotine is high? Absolutely – so find your sweet spot. Reducing nicotine to a comfortable level can eliminate that scratchy coughing from vaping. You’ll still get your nicotine satisfaction, just without the irritation. Remember, you can always increase the nicotine later if needed, but it’s best to start low enough that you’re not coughing.

Sometimes, the key to getting rid of a vape cough is switching up your e-juice. As mentioned, high-PG liquids give more throat hit and can cause dryness. If you’re constantly coughing, try a juice with a higher VG (vegetable glycerine) content – VG is thicker and produces smoother vapour with less throat irritation. For instance, if you’re using a 50% PG / 50% VG liquid, you might switch to a 30/70 (30% PG, 70% VG) blend, which is gentler on the throat.

Just make sure your device can handle higher VG (most modern kits can, but very small coil systems might struggle with 80%+ VG). Also consider the flavour: as noted earlier, menthol (“Ice”) or spicy flavours can make some people cough. If you have a persistent vaping cough, try opting for milder flavours, say a simple fruit, creamy dessert, or tobacco flavour without the extra cooling agents. You might also look at nicotine salt e-liquids if you haven’t; nic salts are known for their smoothness at higher strengths, so you get less of the rough throat hit.

Overall, finding the right PG/VG ratio and flavour that agrees with your throat can stop that vape cough. It might take a bit of experimenting with different e-liquids, but it’s worth it for a cough-free vaping experience.

Using the proper device setup can prevent coughing. If you’re a beginner or prefer a cigarette-like inhale, use a dedicated MTL (mouth-to-lung) device or pod system with a tighter airflow and moderate vapour production. These are designed to be easier on the throat. If you have a high-powered sub-ohm mod and it’s making you cough, try turning down the wattage/power level a bit. A very high power setting produces hotter, denser vapour, which can overwhelm your lungs and cause coughing if you’re not used to it.

Dropping the power to a lower wattage will cool and thin out the vapour a little, making it easier to inhale smoothly. Also, check your airflow control if your tank has one. A wide-open airflow with a restrictive MTL coil can be problematic (and vice versa). Adjusting the airflow to a comfortable tightness can reduce coughing by giving you more control over the vapour intake.

If your vape is making you cough unexpectedly, consider whether the coil or pod you’re using is the right type for how you inhale. For example, “why is my vape making me cough?” – Perhaps you’re attempting direct lung hits on a coil meant for gentle puffs. Switching to the correct coil or device for your style can solve that immediately. When everything (device, coil, e-liquid) is properly matched, you’re far less likely to cough.

As discussed, a dry hit will make anyone cough. To get rid of coughing from vaping, you need to ensure you’re not inadvertently burning your wick. Always keep your tank topped up enough so the coil is saturated. If you’re using a refillable pod or tank, prime new coils with a few drops of e-liquid and let them sit for 5-10 minutes before vaping, so you don’t scorch the cotton on the first puff.

Try not to chain-vape so quickly that you suck the coil dry – take short breaks between puffs (even 15-30 seconds can help the wick resoak). If you ever taste a slightly burnt or hot flavour, stop and check your coil and liquid level. Replace coils regularly; an old gunky coil can also cause poor wicking and mini dry hits, leading to a cough after vaping due to the irritants. By keeping your equipment in good shape, you eliminate one major source of sudden coughing when vaping. This tip is especially relevant if your vape was fine but now it’s making you cough – it’s often just time for a fresh coil or a new disposable if the old one is finished.

If you’re a new vaper who just switched from smoking, remember that some coughing is normal in the early days. Your lungs might be clearing out, and you’re adjusting to a different kind of inhalation. The majority of people find that this “vape cough” fades over time – often within a couple of weeks. So one way to get rid of a vaper's cough is simply to persist with a better technique and let your body adapt. Each day, you might cough a little less.

Why do I cough when vaping? Sometimes, because your lungs are healing from smoking and regrowing cilia (tiny hairs) that were suppressed by cigarette tar. As those cilia come back to life, they help clean your lungs, which can trigger coughing as they sweep out residue, but this is actually a good sign that you’re recovering from smoking. According to the UK Health Security Agency, smokers who switched completely to vaping saw faster reductions in cough and phlegm than those who quit using other methods. In other words, once you get over the initial hump, vaping should not cause the chronic cough that smoking does.

in fact, your smoker’s cough is likely to improve. So, be patient and use the tips above. If something makes you cough (like a certain juice or device), take it as feedback and try an adjustment. Vaping cough is usually just your body’s way of asking for a gentler approach. With a bit of time and tweaking, you’ll find you can vape comfortably without coughing at all.

A routine vaping cough (dry, irritated throat cough) should get better with the steps above. However, listen to your body. If you have a persistent cough from vaping that lasts more than a few weeks or if it’s getting worse instead of better, consider checking with a healthcare professional or your GP.

Also, if you ever notice anything unusual, like chest pain, shortness of breath, or especially if you are coughing up blood, take it very seriously. Coughing up blood from vaping is not normal – it could be a sign of an infection or another underlying issue. NHS guidance is clear that even coughing up small flecks of blood or blood-stained phlegm means you should get urgent medical advice. Don’t ignore that symptom.

While vaping typical nicotine e-liquid is unlikely to make you cough up blood on its own (that’s more associated with severe lung illnesses or vaping illicit substances), it’s always better to be safe and get checked out if it happens. The same goes if you have a chesty cough with a lot of mucus that doesn’t improve, or if you develop wheezing or signs of infection, see your GP.

Bottom line: A mild vape cough or dry throat can be fixed with simple adjustments like those we’ve outlined. For most people, these changes will completely get rid of the dry cough from vaping, so you can enjoy vaping without irritation. Remember to take it slow, stay hydrated, use the right nicotine level, and keep your device in good shape. Vaping should be significantly gentler on your lungs than smoking; indeed, many ex-smokers find that after switching, their “smoker’s cough” improves and they breathe easier.

By following the tips above, you can resolve that vaper’s cough and make your switch to vaping a smooth (and cough-free) experience. If issues persist or you’re ever in doubt, don’t hesitate to consult a medical professional for personalised advice. Happy vaping, and here’s to a clear throat and smooth vapour!

• NHS Better Health – “Vaping side effects”: notes that coughing and dry throat are common side effects of vaping, but they can be managed by adjusting your vape technique or product.
• Vaping360 – “What Causes Vape Cough (and 6 Ways to Stop It)” explains how dehydration from PG and nicotine can cause a dry cough, and advises vapers to drink more water to counter it. Also discusses adjusting power, PG/VG ratio, and inhalation methods to prevent coughing.
• UK Vape Shop Advice (Vapeology) – “Why You Might Be Coughing When You Vape”: provides practical tips like slowing down your inhale, lowering nicotine, using the correct e-liquid for your kit, and staying hydrated to stop coughing when vaping. Confirms that cigarette smoke has anaesthetic additives, which is why vapes can make you cough but not cigarettes, until you adjust.
• Totally Wicked Vaped – “Why Does Vaping Make Me Cough?”Notes that higher PG or nicotine can irritate the throat and that most new vapers’ coughs resolve after a few weeks as they get used to vaping. Suggests trying lower nicotine or nic salts and changing technique to reduce coughing.
• Verywell Health – “Why Vaping Causes a Sore Throat and How to Cure It”: explains that high PG e-liquids can cause throat dryness and irritation, and recommends staying hydrated to ease a sore throat or cough from vaping.
• UKHSA (Public Health England) – Clearing up myths around e-cigarettes: cites a clinical trial where smokers who switched to vaping had significantly faster reductions in cough and phlegm than those who used nicotine patches, highlighting that switching to vaping can improve respiratory symptoms in smokers.
• NHS – “Coughing up blood” guidance: advises seeking urgent medical help if you cough up even small amounts of blood. This is a precaution to rule out serious causes, as coughing up blood can indicate conditions like infection or lung injury unrelated to just a dry throat from vaping.

Disclaimer: “This content is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. If symptoms persist, consult your GP.”