Vape Headaches: Why They Happen and How to Prevent Them

What is a Vape Headache?

Unlike a “normal” headache, vape headaches are directly related to using your e-cigarette and that relationship will be noticeable. If you regularly develop a headache after using your vape, you can take that as a simple cause-and-effect. That’s not to say that every headache you have is a vape headache just because you are a vaper, but if doing one thing (vaping) regularly leads to the other thing (a headache), that’s a pretty good definition of a side effect. 

Many people report that vape headaches most often occur in the morning, after hitting the vape for the first time that day, or in the evening. So while vape headaches can occur at any time, you should pay special attention to any headaches you experience at these times. 

What Does a Vape Headache Feel Like?

Just like any other headache, a vape headache can vary in intensity from very mild to severe. It really depends on how susceptible you are to getting headaches and how susceptible you are to the chemical imbalances vape ingredients can cause. In most cases, you can expect to experience: 

• Throbbing or Pulsing Pain – Vape headaches are often described as “throbbing” or “pulsating”, changing between mild and more severe, almost at a heartbeat rhythm. 
• Localized Pain – In some cases, the location of pain can be the whole head, but more often than not, it is described as being in a specific area, such as the temples, across the forehead, or at the back of the skull. 
• Mild Intensity – As mentioned above, vape headache intensity can vary. However, most vapers who suffer from headaches report that the pain is generally on the mild end of the scale. 

Vape headaches are usually not caused by one single thing, so they can affect different people in different ways depending on your physiology, how you vape, and how long you have been vaping. So, what exactly causes vaping headaches?

Why Nicotine Can Produce Headaches

The nicotine in your vape liquid is likely the culprit behind your aching head. Nicotine is the reason why vaping provides a satisfying feeling, but it can also negatively affect your nervous system and change your body chemistry. 

Nicotine causes some people to experience headaches because it impacts the blood vessels in the brain, causing them to constrict and narrow. This affects blood flow and can lead to headaches. 

There is also the possibility that nicotine, acting as a stimulant, can make nerves more sensitive to pain. This combination of narrowing blood vessels and potentially increased sensitivity can, for some people and particularly new vapers, change what might otherwise be a dull ache into an unpleasant or even a severe headache (albeit one that is usually short-lived). 

Other Common Causes of Vape Headaches

For vapers, nicotine is not the only factor that can contribute to a headache. Even zero or low-nicotine e-liquids can produce this side effect, for any of several reasons:

Dehydration – The main ingredients of vape liquids, propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG), are both hygroscopic and known to have a dehydrating effect on their immediate environment (i.e., your mouth and throat). Several common vape side effects, including headaches, are linked to this dehydrating effect. The reason why dehydration often leads to headaches is thought to be because it causes the brain (and other body tissues) to shrink slightly and pull away from the lining of the skull, putting pressure on the many nerves around it. 

PG Allergy – One of those aforementioned main e-liquid ingredients, Propylene Glycol (PG), has additional potential to cause headaches in some users. Many, perhaps even most, vapers tolerate PG perfectly well, but some are particularly sensitive or even allergic to it. For these people, using an e-liquid with too much PG can lead to them experiencing several side effects, including quite severe headaches. 

Flavorings and Sweeteners – Just like with PG, some vapers can be particularly sensitive to specific flavors, aromas, or sweetening agents used in vape juice. This sort of sensitivity won’t always result in a headache, but there is a fair chance that it could. 

How to Ease the Pain of a Vape Headache

If you are experiencing an unpleasant vape headache, there are a few things you can do that are likely (for most people) to ease the discomfort. These are the same or similar to the sort of things you would do if you developed a headache at any time. 

• Make sure you are hydrated with a glass or two of water
• Apply a cold or warm cloth/compress to your neck or head
• Rest in a quiet, dimly lit place for 15-30 minutes
• Take some suitable pain medicine such as Ibuprofen (following all applicable usage instructions, of course)
• Putting the vape down for a while to allow the nicotine levels in your body to subside

Exactly how long vape headaches can last varies just as much as how mild or severe they can be. It depends on individual sensitivity to whatever has caused the headache (nicotine, PG allergy, dehydration, etc.) in the first place. 

How to Prevent Vaping Headaches From Starting

Hydrate as You Vape – Make a point to drink something immediately after you vape for any extended period. If you are a “grazer” who puffs away all day rather than using your vape more like a cigarette, keep a drink handy and keep your hydration levels topped up. 

Reduce Nicotine Intake – You can reduce nicotine intake either by puffing on your vape less often or by switching to a lower-strength e-liquid. As nicotine is the most likely cause of vape headaches, this is going to be the best way to prevent an aching head. 

Change Your Vape Juice – If you are already using a low-strength vape juice, try switching to one with different flavors or less PG. The better-known and most popular e-liquid brands tend to use better quality ingredients than the budget producers. And better quality ingredients can help to avoid vape headaches. 

Avoid Coffee When Vaping – Caffeine, like nicotine, can have a constricting effect on the blood vessels in the brain. Have a coffee or have a vape, but try to avoid having both at the same time. 

The Bottom Line

While vape headaches are a fairly common side effect of vaping, they are very unlikely to be a sign of something seriously wrong and tend to ease or stop after a short period. The most common cause is the nicotine in the e-liquid you use, but headaches can also be caused by dehydration, PG sensitivity, and even specific vape juice flavorings and sweeteners. Vaping less often or using lower-strength e-liquid will usually help prevent them, as can staying hydrated when vaping.