Can You Become Deaf Because of Vaping?

There's no truth to this claim unless you started pouring e-liquid into your ear canal for whatever stupid reason. Early this week, Rob Swire, a musician from London claimed on Twitter that he experienced complete hearing loss on his left ear because of e-cigs and vaping. See his tweets below:

Swire is the other half of the electronic music duo known as Knife Party. Together with his pal, Gareth McGrillen, the duo has collaborated with big names in the industry, such as Swedish House Mafia and Foreign Beggars. It's interesting to note that the guy claimed he had 100% hearing loss on his left ear for four days, but miraculously regained his hearing after he stopped vaping. He ranted against the use of propylene glycol as solvent in vaping liquids and even provided links to studies on topical and injectable solutions that contain PG.

Links to propylene glycol otoxicity stuff: http://t.co/zud6RpaREN http://t.co/tspvzuNnds http://t.co/6HSniTFcoQ http://t.co/sgt3eyqHBz

— Rob Swire (@rob_swire) July 6, 2015

He also posted the following as a warning to everyone:

If you use e-cigs / vape and experience any of these symptoms, stop vaping and go see a doctor (or ENT): pic.twitter.com/61ay2ysAJr — Rob Swire (@rob_swire) July 7, 2015

But, did he really lose his hearing to vaping? Based on the links to studies he provided, people will lose their hearing when PG is applied directly to the cochlea, just like in the case of ear drops. Whatever bad things (if they do happen) PG does to vapers, the effects have to be in the mouth, throat and lungs - parts of the body that are in direct contact with the vapor.

Wait... Did he try to blow clouds of vapor through his ears?? As far as I know, you had to have perforated eardrums to do that. I've seen people push milk out of their eyes through the ducts that drain tears down our nose. If Swire could do that, then I'd say he's a master at vaping tricks because that's kind of impossible to do. Well, whatever stupid thing Mr. Swire did with his e-juice to make him feel miserable for four days is now a bygone thing. He's lucky it's only temporary and the cure consists of decongestants - fairly inexpensive when compared to surgery, don't you think?

Hearing back to normal . No noise-exposure-related hearing loss (occurs at 4k), so STFU "vape advocates" pic.twitter.com/mUEgwL5Oli

— Rob Swire (@rob_swire) July 8, 2015

In case you're experiencing some hearing problems, such as tinnitus, in one or both of your ears, check out these forum threads over at Reddit and ECF. Fellow vapers and their doctors suggest that you switch to an e-juice with a reduced proportion of PG to VG and less nicotine. Try the new e-juice for a week or two, and see whether the ringing or buzzing in your ears disappears or not.

Good Sex and E-cigarettes

Good Sex and E-cigarettes

We often see men and women enjoy their post-coital smoke in film and TV. Whether it's a ubiquitous practice or not is somewhat doubtful, but those who light up a stick or two after a hot romp in bed say it's the best feeling in the world.

There are many theories why they do this, but the most popular is that the nicotine rush stimulates the release of more endorphins in the body as well as dopamine in the brain, and this extends the orgasmic high we all feel. If a stick of cigarette with around 1 mg of nicotine in it was enough to keep you in the afterglow of sex, imagine how much you'd enjoy after-sex vaping.

We all know that smoking brings a host of health problems, including erectile dysfunction among men of a certain age.

Clinical and basic science studies provide strong indirect evidence that smoking may affect penile erection by the impairment of endothelium-dependent smooth muscle relaxation or more specifically by affecting NO production via increased ROS generation. Whether nicotine or other products of cigarette smoke mediate all effects related to vascular damage is still unknown.

Electronic cigarettes may not cure ED, but they bring additional benefits to the table that may be good for your sexual health. For one, vaping stops you from constantly inhaling tar and other harmful chemicals that wreak havoc on your body's ability to circulate blood in your nether regions. In effect, it increases your stamina, improves your breathing, and raises your energy level.

Another effect of quitting cigarettes is that your nose and tongue become more sensitive to different scents and tastes. In bed, this translates to a more engaging foreplay with your partner.

An article from Cigbuyer mentioned a couple of massive surveys on e-cig users and the health benefits that vaping brought into their lives:

A 2014 survey of 19,000 electronic cigarette users found that nearly 74% reported higher endurance levels. 86% reported improved smell, 82% better taste, and 27% of respondents said their sexual performance had improved since switching to electronic cigarettes. In a 2009 UKMedix survey, almost 60% of those questioned said their sex lives had "significantly improved" since switching to e-cigs.

Just remember, however, that all of these surveys were based on consumer feedback. There's no definitive proof yet of vaping's long-term benefits to smokers. So far, scientists have found that nicotine creates short-lived feelings of euphoria and pleasure, and this makes vaping an awesome after-sex activity.

Mouth and Throat Problems that Affect New Vapers

From the top: A full-size vape pen with an extra battery; and a fully assembled electronic cigarette with a gold-embossed spare battery below it. (Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

The transition period is a crucial time for anyone who's trying to quit a nicotine addiction, but who's still in love with cigarettes. The temptation to light up a stick is so strong that some are likely to fall off the wagon a few times before getting back up and never leaving it.

This period usually starts from the day new vapers took their last drag until the day they realized they haven't touched a single stick in weeks hits them in the gut. So, what happens during this time?

Vaper's Tongue and Dry Mouth

Vapor Lady Lounge shares her past experience with this temporary loss of her two senses when she was new to vaping:

When you quit, the taste buds are overwhelmed with the new tastes and the lack of smoke it has become accustomed to for more than 40 years, so a rebellion of sorts in order, namely, they shut down and go on strike. Just another of those darned symptoms that are supposed to make you reach for those nasty old cigarettes and start puffing away to give the senses what they are used to, (silly senses don't know how dangerous smoking is).

As you adjust to life as a non-smoker this shutdown effect is likely to happen several times. These shutdowns usually last anywhere from a few hours to a couple days. Gradually, your taste buds start firing up again and you'll just realize at some point the flavor has returned all on its own.

Photo Credit: Evil Erin via Flickr CC

Other reasons for a vaper's tongue include a blocked nose caused by an illness; burned or damaged taste buds; prescriptive drugs for thyroid disorder, depression and cancer; and extreme stress and anxiety. Vapers should also take into consideration that the e-liquids they were using were already expired, or that their atomizers were not thoroughly cleaned and full of bacteria.

In addition to an insensate tongue, vapers also experience dryness and numbness in the mouth. Some people theorize it's caused by too much exposure to PG or propylene glycol, which is a common carrier solvent used in e-liquids alongside another substance called vegetable glycerin.

Don't worry about this too much. It'll go away as soon as your body has adjusted to the changes in your lifestyle. Try to drink lots of water to prevent dehydration as advised by The Ecig Alternative:

The dry mouth side effect is usually easily rectified by increasing water intake; i.e. small sips of water often. This doesn't mean to say you'll necessarily be sipping water non-stop, just that your water consumption may increase.

Soreness and Pain in the Throat

A common complaint among new vapers is sore throat, which can be caused by several factors. One factor is the high nicotine strength of the e-liquid. Anything over 3% is suspect. Another reason is too much PG in the solution. Choose an e-liquid that has more vegetable glycerin than propylene glycol.

And, there's a third reason. Smokers who vape think it's the same as taking a long drag from a cigarette. It's not as simple as that. An e-cig has a compact atomizer that heats up the liquid and turns it into vapor. It doesn't need that much oxygen to burn the nicotine juice.

Pulling a deep breath of vapor can irritate your throat, but taking quick and shallow puffs may not be as satisfying to some people as they expected. A trick to get the most from a short drag is to take it "slow and measured (2 to 3 seconds), and vapor should enter your mouth with ease, leaving behind no uncomfortable feeling when you exhale."

Moreover, e-cig users should space their vapes evenly throughout the day. Too much too soon can lead to an irritated throat, which is the reason for an increased production of phlegm and saliva. And, this is why vapers have coughing fits. To relieve the irritation and soreness in the throat, take a lozenge or two during the day.