Why Coughing May Occur After You Quit Smoking

Although coughing is not a common symptom of withdrawal from smoking cigarettes, some ex-smokers do develop a cough early on in smoking cessation for a short period of time. The reason for this usually has to do with the cilia in the lungs.

Cigarette smoke paralyzes and damages the cilia, thousands of tiny hair-like projections in our lungs. When you stop smoking, cilia start to function again.

The Function of Cilia in Lungs

Cilia are a protective barrier between the outside world and the delicate tissue of the lungs. The bronchial tubes in healthy lungs are lined with a thin coating of mucus and cilia. Moving back and forth in unison, cilia clean house by sweeping inhaled pollutants that have been trapped in the mucus layer back out of the body.

Once the mucus reaches the throat, it's either coughed or spit out, or swallowed. This work done between cilia and the mucus layer in lungs protects us from a host of respiratory infections and diseases.

How Smoking Affects Cilia

Cigarette smoke is made up of thousands ofchemicalsthat have damaging effects on the lungs. It also leaves a sticky yellow coating calledtaron everything it touches, including a smoker's teeth, fingers, clothing and furniture—and the inside of the lungs.

In the lungs, the buildup of tar shuts down the motion of cilia and causes inflammation in the airways, prompting excess mucus production. With the lung's natural defense system neutralized, toxic particles in cigarette smoke and other inhaled dust, dirt, and germs stay in the lungs, putting smokers at risk for chest infections and respiratory diseases like chronic bronchitis and lung cancer.

Smoking Cessation-Related Coughing

When you stop smoking, cilia gradually start functioning again and the lungs begin the work of moving trapped toxins up and out. This might cause a cough that could last for the first couple of months of smoking cessation until cilia have fully recovered.

What You Can Do for Your Cough

While you don't want to necessarily reduce the productive quality of the cough because it is helping to rid the lungs of tobacco pollutants, there are a few things you can do to soothe your throat and help the process along:

• Stay hydratedby drinking water, juice, and tea. Teas with licorice root are an especially good choice, as licorice root is a natural expectorant that also soothes the throat.
• Use a humidifier在你的home, especially if you live in a dry environment. It will help to loosen mucus and allow for a productive cough.
• Ease your tender throatwith a tablespoon of honey one to three times a day. It coats and soothes raw throats.

When to Call the Doctor

If you experience any of the following symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible, as there may be something more serious than cilia recovery going on:

• Shortness of breath:Struggling to catch your breath after little or no exertion, or feeling that it is difficult to breathe in and out.
• Wheezing:Noisy breathing may be a sign of inflammation in your airway.
• Blood in sputum: Coughing up flecks or streaks of blood in phlegm can be a sign of infection.

A Word From Verywell

Nicotine withdrawalcan produce a number of discomforts that may be intense. But they are temporary, and are signs that your body is healing from the damage that tobacco has inflicted.

Reading about what you can expect as you recover fromnicotine addiction, and connect with other ex-smokers for support that will help you go the distance with smoking cessation. It's worth the work it takes, and the benefits are undeniable.