Many people use e-cigarettes assuming they are less harmful, as suggested by commercial marketing. However, e-cigarettes still place a significant burden on the body. What Donguibogam refers to as pathogenic qi corresponds in modern medicine to toxic substances such as nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavorings, and heavy metals. When these enter deep into the lung as fine aerosols, the body mounts an immediate defense response.
These substances first irritate the delicate mucosa of the airway lining, triggering inflammation. The airway is lined with tiny hair-like structures called cilia that sweep away foreign matter. Chemical compounds in e-cigarettes impair this cilium function. When cilia fail to clear debris, fine dust, bacteria, and vaping residues accumulate in the airway, driving chronic inflammation.
This inflammatory process increases airway hyperresponsiveness, meaning the airway constricts easily and undergoes convulsion from minor triggers, causing a persistent cough. Nicotine also stimulates the nervous system and can cause hyperactivation of airway receptors, keeping the cough reflex arc persistently active and leading to chronic cough syndrome. Furthermore, certain flavoring compounds in e-liquids cause direct injury to the pulmonary alveolus and, in severe cases, increase the risk of severe lung conditions such as bronchiolitis obliterans, often known as popcorn lung.
Chronic airway inflammation ultimately induces structural remodeling of the airway walls, accelerating thickening and fibrosis. This reduces lung function, increases vulnerability to respiratory infection, and raises the risk of serious respiratory diseases like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. E-cigarettes are not a harmless alternative to regular cigarettes, making smoking cessation essential for lung health.
