Your Nicotine Strength Is Too High
In order for you to enjoy vaping to the fullest possible extent, it is absolutely crucial for the nicotine strength of your e-liquid to be right for your needs. If your nicotine strength is too low, you won’t find vaping satisfying – but you can easily rectify that by vaping more often or by switching to a higher nicotine strength. If your nicotine strength is too high, though, you may not be able to vape at all because you’ll cough or experience a sore throat when you try to inhale the vapor. Does vaping cause you to experience a throat hit that’s even more intense than what you feel when smoking a cigarette? It’s very likely that your nicotine strength is too high. Learn more about how to choose the right e-liquid nicotine strength.
You’re Using the Wrong Type of Nicotine
Vape juice brands make e-liquid with two kinds of nicotine: freebase nicotine and nicotine salt. In some regions – such as the United States and Canada – nicotine salt is used primarily for e-liquids with higher nicotine strengths. Lower-strength e-liquids usually use freebase nicotine. In the United Kingdom and Europe, though, it’s common to find high-strength e-liquids with both nicotine types. If that’s the case where you live, you’ll need to choose the nicotine type that’s most enjoyable and satisfying for you. Some people find that high-strength freebase nicotine e-liquid causes a sore throat or makes them cough. If that’s true for you, try nicotine salt instead. Because it’s less alkaline than freebase nicotine, many people find that it tends to be smoother.
Did you find yourself asking, “What is salt nicotine?” when reading the information above? Click the link for a primer on nicotine salt e-liquid.
You’re Using the Wrong VG/PG Ratio for Your Needs
Vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG) are the two bases that are used to make e-liquid. In a typical bottle of vape juice, only about 10-15 percent of the contents are flavors and nicotine. The rest is a blend of VG and PG. VG and PG have different properties. VG tends to produce bigger vapor clouds, for instance, while PG is a better carrier of flavors.
Because VG and PG both have desirable characteristics, e-liquid tends to contain a blend of both. PG does have one characteristic, however, that some people don’t enjoy: it tends to create a slightly scratchy sensation in the throat. Some people interpret that sensation as a satisfying throat hit. Others, though, interpret it as throat soreness. If you fall into the second group, you should consider trying an e-liquid with a higher percentage of VG. It’s even possible to find e-liquids containing no PG at all.
Your Vape Cough Could Be a Side Effect of Quitting Smoking
Many new vapers make the commitment that they’re going to stop smoking for good as soon as they buy their first vaping devices. It’s common, though, for long-term smokers to temporarily experience increased coughing when they first quit smoking. That’s often true even for those who switch directly from smoking to vaping. The increased coughing happens because the cilia in your lungs become more active when you’re no longer filling your lungs with smoke. Your lungs immediately start working to clear out the tar, and that causes you to cough.
You Aren’t Using the Ideal Inhaling Style for Your Vaping Device
One of the most important things to know when you shop for your first vape kit is that a vaping device can be designed for either mouth-to-lung or direct-to-lung inhaling. When you look at the devices that we manufacture here at Innokin, you’ll notice that our product descriptions always explain what the devices’ intended inhaling styles are. That way, you’ll be certain that the device you ultimately end up buying will be perfect for you.
You Aren’t Drinking Enough Water When You Vape
One of the characteristics that vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol share is that they’re both humectants – they attract and trap moisture. Because VG and PG have that property, some people find that vaping sometimes tends to make them feel dehydrated. Dehydration, of course, can cause you to experience a sore throat when vaping. If you experience other symptoms of dehydration when vaping – such as a dry mouth or chapped lips – there’s a good chance that you’re not getting as much liquid as you require.
Your Device’s Power Level Is Set Too High
The final reason why vaping might give you a sore throat or make you cough is because your device’s power level is set too high. Having a vape mod with adjustable power is a great thing if you’re an advanced vaper because it gives you the ability to customize your vaping experience and enjoy exactly the warmth and intensity that you want. The negative aspect of using a vaping device with adjustable wattage, though, is that it’s possible to set the wattage too high.
Every vape coil has a suggested power range in watts etched into the side of its casing. You’ll also find the suggested wattage range for a vape coil on its box. Manufacturers test the coils for their vape tanks to determine the power ranges in which they can operate reliably. Although you might be tempted to operate your vape tank at higher than its recommended power range in order to get the biggest vapor clouds possible, the fact is that you’re likely to burn your coil’s wick if you’re too aggressive with your power settings. A burnt vape coil doesn’t just give you poor flavor quality; it’s also very likely to give you a sore throat. Always make sure that your vape mod is set to a power level within your coil’s suggested wattage range.