While there are certainly many
benefits to vaping including the most obvious and significant one of being a
better alternative to smoking harmful cigarettes, there are some people who
have reported headaches as a common side effect of vaping. Not everyone will get headaches from
vaping, but it’s an issue you may want to know a little about if you’re new to
it and just started vaping or if you experience headaches from it and want to know how to treat them.
Causes of Vape Headaches
There are a few factors which may cause vaping headaches:
The first one is the level of
nicotine. Nicotine constricts your blood vessels, restricts your blood flow, and affects your autonomic
nervous system which in turn can cause nicotine headaches. Nicotine is also a mild
stimulant which may cause dizziness and full body rushes if you are not used to
it. If you have smoked cigarettes, the e-liquid will probably not
be that noticeable to you unless you are using a particularly high level of
nicotine when vaping.
For cigarette smokers, each
cigarette contains about 1mg of nicotine, so if you smoke a pack a day then you
would be taking in approximately 20mg of nicotine. E-liquids can vary in the
amount of nicotine they contain. Additionally, choosing a juice that has a
lower level of nicotine than that of cigarettes is ideal for previous
smokers.
Another possible cause of painful effects after vaping for some people is propylene glycol (PG). This is an organic compound and is
one of the four ingredients used in e-liquid. It has the unique property of
turning into vapor when heated which allows it to be inhaled. PG draws water
from its environment and so it can have a drying effect which can cause
headaches. The headaches due to PG are caused by dehydration but there have
been some cases of sensitivity to propylene glycol which can cause not only
headaches but also skin irritation, like rashes, as well as dry mouth—so be sure to drink lots of water.
Lastly, your vaping choices may also
cause headaches. That is, the way you vape and the device you use could be the
problem. Drawing, or pulling on your unit may cause an inhalation strain that
can give you a headache and sometimes cause throat irritation. The devices out
there for the most part have differing levels of draw. For instance, if you use
an e-cigarette, you may have to draw harder to get a hit versus using a MOD or
APV which provide clouds with relative ease.
How to Prevent Vape Headaches
Preventing or treating headaches that could be caused by vaping may simply
require a minor adjustment to your vaping style, device or juice. If the
headaches might be caused by nicotine, the easiest solution is to cut back on
the nicotine level. All e-liquid bottles and of course on the site, show the
levels of nicotine. Just select one that’s appropriate for you. As mentioned, a
former smoker should ideally choose a nicotine level that’s equal to, or lower
than, their previous nicotine consumption with cigarettes while someone who is
brand new to vaping should opt for the lowest nicotine level since the body
will have to get adjusted to the nicotine.
If an allergic reaction to propylene glycol is the suspected cause of headaches after vaping, there
are a few possible solutions.
- Stop using the PG juice entirely. If
your headaches disappear then you will know this is the cause. - Choose an e-juice or pod cartridge that
contains a mixture of both PG and VG (vegetable glycerine) at a 50/50 ratio or
choose the e-liquid which is 60% or higher in VG. VG, like PG, also turns into
vapor when heated up and both are odorless and almost tasteless. PG and VG are
FDA approved as safe and in fact have been used for decades in food, pet foods,
toiletries, and makeup. They do have distinct differences when used in tanks
and how they saturate in the coils, especially when the vapor hits the throat.
This is known as a “throat hit” and happens with liquids that have a higher PG
ratio. On that flip side, VG tends to produce clouds that are thicker and
larger than those produced by PG juices. You can experiment a little with
either to determine the right balance for you. - Finally, making some simple changes
to your method of draw during vaping sessions can reduce inhalation strain and experimenting with
various types of devices can also reduce the chance of getting headaches.
This industry is becoming more
diverse with its options for vaping and there are so many choices out there for
people who have chosen to vape instead of smoke cigarettes. It’s important to
do your research and ask questions so you can avoid over-the-counter pain medication when enjoying your vape. With the increasing popularity of vaping
and the emergence of new device designs, you should be able to find a favorite vape pen that
works for you!
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