Running in cold weather sure is painful, since the cold tends to burn my throat; afterward I usually am coughing some minor flem periodically for the rest of the day.
Is there a good way to help with this?
More importantly, is there anything about this that might be harmful in the long-run?
I have had the same issue and found a solution that worked for me. I live in Chicago where we recently had the horrible cold snap. I was still running, keeping up with my winter routine, and what I do is wear a gator or face mask for skiing. As i breathed through it while I was running, it helped to moisturize the air as I breathed, keeping my lungs and throat warmer which was a big help. I haven't had this issue since, so this may be a viable solution if you are not doing something like this already.
As for harmful, it certainly wouldn't seem so. I know plenty of people who have had the same experience and have had no respiratory issues whatsoever.
There exists oral heat exchangers for this, see the image in the link below. I haven't found an English reference but they are easy enough to find in Sweden (where it can be very cold). I suggest you visit a store specialized towards running equipment, I'm sure they can help you.
I don't believe that this is dangerous (unless we're talking serious cold weather), but you should always listen to your body. If it hurts you or you can feel the effects for a long time afterwards maybe you should be careful.
