Coughing After Quitting Smoking

Smoking withdrawal symptoms are by far the biggest hindrance in an individuals pursuit to quit smoking, and excessive coughing is just one of them. Coughing when smoking and coughing when you quit smoking are two different concepts. While the former is one of the hazardous smoking effects, the later is a withdrawal symptom associated with smoking cessation. In fact, a large number of people fail to stick to their resolve to quit smoking only due to their inability to cope up with these smoking withdrawal symptoms. One of the common withdrawal symptoms after quitting smoking, coughing can cause utter discomfort and tempt the person for that one last smoke, which is never the last one.

What Causes Cough after Smoking Cessation?

Our respiratory system contains cilia - a hairlike projection which helps in filtering all the impurities that we inhale when we breathe. Excessive smoking can cause severe damage to these hairlike projections over a period. The recovery of these structures only starts when the person quits smoking, and the cough that we experience when we quit smoking can be attributed to this very recovery process. Faster the cilia grow, severe is the cough. This also means that you should be more concerned about not experiencing cough, than experiencing severe cough. During this process the toxin build-up in the lungs and upper chest are cleared in order to facilitate normal breathing pattern. Along with coughing, the person may also spit up black mucus when experiencing these withdrawal symptoms. The problem of spitting black mucus while coughing is quite common in people who go cold turkey after smoking for a long period. Even though coughing after you quit smoking is a good sign in terms of general health, you should ideally consult a doctor if severe cough persists.

How to Stop Deal with this Cough?

The duration for which this cough lasts will differ from person to person. In some individuals the cilia recovery process is quite speedy, and hence the cough may last for a period of no more than a week. At the max, a person may experience cough along with other withdrawal symptoms for a period of 3-4 weeks. If the symptoms persist even after a month, it is wiser to consult a doctor and opt for proper diagnosis of the problem. As we mentioned before, increased cough after the person quits smoking can cause utter discomfort and hamper your day-to-day activities. In such circumstances, you are left with no option but to resort to the various measures to ease coughing and other side effects. Throat lozenges and cough syrup can help in easing this withdrawal symptom. It is very important to make sure that you treat cough associated with smoking cessation, as this is one of the driving factor when it comes to smoking relapse.

Even though coughing after quitting smoking is a perfectly normal phenomenon, problems, such as sore throat, associated with it can cause a lot of inconvenience to the individual. This problem generally begins within a day or two after you stop smoking, and continues for 2-3 weeks. The fact that many people relapse during the first two weeks highlights the fact that coughing is one of the most severe nicotine withdrawal symptoms in the lot. Even when you are aware of these immediate effects, quitting this habit is not as easy as it seems. At the end of the day, your success depends on your determination and willpower to a great extent. While coughing and other withdrawal symptoms will make it difficult for you to quit smoking, being mentally strong can help you fight the odds and go all the way.