Vaping Too Much: Understanding and Easing the Side Effects of Vaping

Maybe you prefer vaping to cigarettes, maybe you're a diehard vaping fanatic, and you want to make the most of your vape every time. 

Like any other kind of smoking, there are side effects of vaping. And if you know what they are, you can avoid them and get a more pleasurable vape. 

Here are some of the most common ones and what you can do to cut them out of your vaping.  

Dry Mouth

By far one of the most common side effects of vaping is dry mouth. 

This is due to the two base ingredients commonly found in vaping liquid: 

1. Propylene glycol (PG)
2. Vegetable glycerin (VG)

PG is most often cited as the culprit, though it's not uncommon for pure VG vapers to experience this as well. 

The issue is that PG and VG are hygroscopic, which means that they bind with water molecules in your body. It will particularly attach to water molecules in your mouth because you inhale vaping chemicals that way. 

You can try to avoid this with mouth to lung vaping rather than direct lung vaping (different inhalation techniques). Still, try to stick with lower levels of PG, even if it doesn't give you as much of a throat hit. 

Dehydration

The hygroscopic properties of PG and VG can also cause dehydration on a larger scale. 

You know you're dehydrated by looking at your urine. If you're properly hydrated, your urine should be almost clear. The darker and less frequent, the less liquid you have in your system. But you'll also notice fatigue, bloating, dry eyes, and extreme thirst. 

As a rule, if you feel like you could drink a gallon of water, you're probably dehydrated. 

Fortunately, this is a pretty easy fix: drink more water throughout the day. Of course, the more you vape, the more water you have to reintroduce. If you can vape less frequently, you'll have an easier time of staying hydrated. 

Inflammation and Irritation

Picture this. 

You have your vape pen and juice. In order to inhale it, the juice has to be heated into a vapor. So when the vapor hits your throat, it's warm. 

That alone is enough to cause irritation. Add in the chemicals in the vapor and you've got a recipe for inflammation and irritation. 

That's because vaping chemicals actually elicit an immune system response. When your body detects something foreign in your throat (i.e. vaping chemicals) it initiates an inflammatory response to fight off infection. 

The best way to deal with this is to take measures to counteract the inflammation. Keep in mind, however, that you'll aggravate your throat every time you vape, so you'll have to do more work to reach equilibrium if you're a frequent vaper. 

Sore Throat and Coughing

It only makes sense that a sore throat follows throat irritation and inflammation. 

This is common among people who aren't used to vaping, as their throat reacts strongly to unfamiliar chemicals. However, it can also arise in frequent vapers who don't take measures to protect their throats against damage. 

When your throat is irritated, you'll cough to try to clear away the irritation. 

If you're a new vaper and you cough every time you take a hit, check the airflow on your vape pen without activating it. If it feels taking a drink from a coffee straw, it's meant for a draw called mouth-to-lung.

If it feels more like a milkshake straw, it's a direct lung device (you inhale smoke directly to the lungs and immediately blow it out). 

If one device is making you cough, try switching to a different style. You should also check the nicotine content of your juice, as it may be aggravating your throat. 

Headache

Between dehydration and coughing, is it any surprise that vaper's headache is a concern? 

This often occurs early in vaping, when you don't know what nicotine level is best for you. If you experience frequent headaches after vaping, you're probably consuming too much nicotine at once. 

Try scaling back to a vape juice with a lower nicotine level. You may also be taking in enough nicotine in one vape but too much nicotine in the course of a day, so if you vape often during the day, scale back your vape breaks to see if that helps matters. 

Dizziness or Head Rush

Dizziness normally appears after your first month or so of vaping. It feels a lot like the sensation of smoking for the first time when your body hasn't figured out how to process the nicotine yet. 

This side effect isn't solely due to vaping. It's the result of vaping nicotine, especially vape juices with high nicotine content. 

This will slow down the more you consume since your tolerance will rise. If it persists, you're likely consuming too much nicotine at once. The best course of action is to go for a vaping liquid with a lower nicotine content or to vape less frequently. 

Surpassing the Side Effects of Vaping

If you enjoy vaping, the side effects of vaping are worth working past. It's mostly a matter of awareness and taking care of your body to counteract the effects of vaping. 

If you need more tips on how to make the most of your vaping experience, check out our blog for more useful posts, like this one on what your favorite vape flavor says about you. 

If you want more tips on how to vape properly, read this post on the common vaping mistakes to avoid. After all, you want to enjoy vaping--coughing and dizziness don't make for a good time.