Over the past few years, vaping has become immensely popular among teens and adults alike. Research has claimed that the nicotine found in e-cigarettes can be highly addictive especially for children and teens.
Even though some people mistake the e-liquid to be just ‘flavored water’, it is actually an aerosol produced from the vaping device and contains diacetyl which can cause serious damage to the lungs and might also hinder brain development.
In addition to lungs and brain damage (which in of itself is very harmful side-effect), the other side effects of vaping include dehydration, muscle tension, hair loss and worst: constant headaches! All these symptoms need to be dealt with but right now, we’re focusing on headaches caused by e-cigarettes:
Relation Between Headaches And Vaping
recently been observed and discussed. Among several other side effects, muscle pain and headaches are one of the most frequent. Frequent vaping cause headaches which can get worse with time. The following reasons for this side effect have been identified:
Propylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol found in e-liquids causes pain by metabolizing with lactic acid which is a major cause of pain in fibromyalgia patients as well.
Dehydration
It is suspected that vaping and e cigarettes cause dehydration which causes headaches. Vaping has been associated with a feeling of a dry mouth which is result of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin because they absorb the moisture from body and vapes and e cigarettes contain both. Frequent use of e-cigarette will lead to a dry-throat which leads to being dehydrated and so, having constant headaches and a feeling of lethargy.
E Liquid
The propylene glycol can cause headaches since it has several side effects. Different people react to liquids differently. Sometimes the flavors that are added to the the e-cigarettes might not be suitable and it’s better to stick with the simple flavors.
Nicotine
Nicotine is a major ingredient in vapes which cause headaches. It’s not the consumption but the lack of it that causes the headache. The body gets addicted to the nicotine and depends on it for the release of dopamine and serotonin. If the concentration of nicotine used in the vape is causing too much headaches and pain, then nicotine can cause poisoning.
Can Vaping Be Addictive?
E-liquid found in an e-cigarette contains nicotine which is known to be highly addictive. Over time the body might start to show nicotine withdrawal symptoms which needs proper treatment. Hence nicotine is the root cause of addiction in people who vape.
Lessening the amount of times a person vapes is important because the more you use it the more addictive it will become. There are many to reasons why a person started vaping either for recreational purposes or to get rid of tobacco cigarettes. For both purposes the lesser the vape the better for you. In some cases it does become addictive and there has to be a proper plan to get rid of this addiction because it might lead to other addictions. And that is a complication no one will want.
How to Treat Headache From Vaping
Headaches from vaping are complicated and difficult but not impossible to treat. Over the counter pain medicine can be used to treat the headaches but if it doesn’t help try the following options:
1. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is really important because of the polypropylene glycol and vegetable glycerin in vapes which causes the dehydration and dry mouth feeling. when you start using vapes make sure that you are hydrated and drink plenty of fluids to avoid any complications.
2. Consider Nicotine Strength
Different e liquids contain different amount of nicotine level as well if a person is trying to quit tobacco cigarettes so they should be very careful about the concentration of nicotine that is been used in the vape they are using. Try smaller concentrations at first to get the body used to it.
3. Take Things Slow
Do not rush into quitting vaping. This will lead to complicated withdrawal symptoms and might lead to some more complicated issue instead. Both with smoking cigarettes and vapes, take it slow while trying to quit. Lower the e liquid concentrations slowly and reduce the number of times you vape in a day. Taking things slow is key to avoid withdrawal symptoms as much as possible.
Review Possible Treatment Options
Depending upon the extent of addiction, it is advised to review possible treatment options.
- You can go cold turkey at home or join a treatment program.
- Professional help is also important to treatment minor addictions. Medication Assisted treatment can be also be monitored under inpatient or outpatient treatment programs. Both of these options are really helpful in making the addiction go away for good.
- Nicotine addiction from e liquid in vapes is not known to as bad as other types of addictions and does not need an extensive treatment program.
- You can consider nicotine replacement therapy for this purpose. It helps give the brain the ‘happy’ chemicals but in a more controlled and less addictive way. Nicotine patches, nicotine gum, or lozenges are used for this purpose. Nicotine replacement therapy has recently proved to be highly effective in people trying to quit smoking.
How Sober Houses Can Help
If the addiction has reached a complicated stage and there has been relapse, you can always commit to a sober house. Sober houses play a significant role in learning discipline and avoiding relapse. Staying in a sober house while quitting vaping will help in the following ways:
1. Managing Withdrawal Symptoms
Managing withdrawal symptoms from the nicotine in e cigarettes is easier with the 24/7 medical staff that is available in sober houses. As already mentioned, one of the most common side effect is the vaping headaches, They will also administer medication and other methods to help with the vaping headaches and improve health.
2. Learning Control
Sober houses are known to teach discipline and self control. Different practices like meditation, house chores and other forms of exercises that help learn self control are helpful against fighting the urge to smoke. Self control and determination is the most important in quitting any addiction whether minor or complicated.
3. Avoiding Relapse
A person can stay in a sober house for as long as required. This is especially advised for people who have a danger of relapse. This will help them learn to stop being dependent in their own pace and there is no rush of recovery. Feeling comfortable and content is important in the recovery from all sorts of addictions.
Even though e-cigarette has been accepted as an alternative to smoking, it should not be overlooked how harmful it is to the human body. Which we have established in this article. Among other common side effects of vaping, the most noticeable one is headaches. Vaping can be addictive because of its base ingredients. One of the major ingredient nicotine can cause more harm than good. Whether it is used for recreational purposes or as a way of quitting cigarettes, it is important to use it in a reasonable amount and seek help as soon as you notice any sort of symptoms of addiction and feel that you are being dependent on it more than necessary. Different treatment options are available out of which sober houses play the most important role in getting long term results and teach self control, which is the most important while quitting vaping and cigarettes.
