Full Answer
Why put Vicks VapoRub on your feet?
Vicks VapoRub is a common home remedy used to alleviate certain foot conditions, including athlete’s foot. The standout antimicrobial ingredients of the rub, plus the inclusion of petroleum jelly, help to lock in moisture while killing off bacteria. "Vicks VapoRub has three major oils in its ingredients.
Does putting Vicks on your feet do anything?
Vicks is a popular product for treating the symptoms of a cold, such as a blocked nose. Putting Vicks on the feet is unlikely to help with cold symptoms, though it may possibly have a cooling effect on this part of the body. There is little research into how well Vicks actually treats cold symptoms.
What does putting Vicks on feet do?
Precautions when using Vicks VapoRub
- Won’t cure cold symptoms if used on feet. Using Vicks VapoRub on your feet may soothe tired, achy feet, but it won’t help with cold symptoms like a stuffy nose ...
- Don’t use on under your nose or in your nostrils. ...
- Keep out of reach of children. ...
- Avoid getting into eyes. ...
- See a doctor if ingested or if you have an allergic reaction. ...
Does Vicks VapoRub work on your feet?
Vicks VapoRub will likely not work to help ease cold symptoms when used on the feet. Adults can safely use this vapor rub on the feet to ease muscle aches or pain. Don’t use Vicks VapoRub on...
Fact Check: Does rubbing Vicks VapoRub on feet stop coughing ...
Doctor’s Quote Dr Sujata Chakravarti, Consultant-General Medicine, Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi says, “It is unlikely that applying Vicks to the feet would affect the symptoms of a cold. Although many people believe that Vicks provide temporary relief to the symptoms, there is little research into its effectiveness.
Can Science Explain Why Vicks on the Feet Calms a Cough?
Around the year 2000 a nurse called into our syndicated radio show to tell us that she calmed nighttime coughs by applying Vicks VapoRub to the soles of her children’s feet. She then put socks on the kids to protect the bed sheets.
What is Vicks oil?
Vicks contains three active ingredients that are responsible for its effects: camphor 4.7%. eucalyptus oil 1.2%. menthol 2.6%. Camphor comes from the wood of Cinnamomum camphora trees, and it is an ingredient in many oils and ointments. One of its main properties is to relieve congestion and coughing.
What are the ingredients in Vicks?
Several inactive ingredients make up the rest of Vicks. These include: cedarleaf oil. lemon fragrance. nutmeg oil. special petrolatum. thymol.
How to get rid of colds?
taking honey-based drinks. using a humidifier or cool mist vaporizer. Several over-the-counter (OTC) medications are also available for reducing cold symptoms. For example, decongestants can relieve stuffy and blocked noses. They can come in the form of a tablet, a nasal spray, nasal droplets, or a syrup.
Does Vicks help with sleep?
The researchers found that in comparison with petroleum jelly or no treatment at all, Vicks helped relieve symptoms at night and, thus, improved sleep quality.
Can you use Vicks to treat a cold?
For babies. Alternatives. Summary. Vicks VapoR ub is a popular product for helping with the symptoms of a cold. Applying Vicks to the throat and chest can help with symptoms such as a blocked nose. Applying Vicks to the feet, however, is unlikely to have any effect. It is possible to apply Vicks to other areas of the body, such as the feet, ...
Can you use Vicks rub on babies?
Vicks for babies. Vicks recommend not using their rub products on children under 2 years of age. Some of the ingredients in Vicks could be harmful. For example, menthol can cause skin irritation. It is best to keep this product out of reach of any younger children. If a child swallows Vicks, it can have toxic effects.
Does Vicks work on feet?
Does it work? Share on Pinterest. There is no clear evidence that applying Vicks to the feet will help with symptoms of a cold. It is unlikely that applying Vicks to the feet would have any effect on cold symptoms . However, there has been no direct research into this.
How to help a child with a cold?
Home remedies for easing congestion. Along with using Vicks VapoRub as directed, other home remedies can help ease cold symptoms for you and your child. Wait and rest. Most cold viruses go away on their own in a few days. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, juice, and soup.
How long before bedtime to use Vicks vapor rub?
The researchers tested the vapor rub on 138 children ages 2 to 11. Parents were asked to apply Vicks VapoRub on their child’s chest and throat 30 minutes before bedtime. According to surveys filled out by the parents, Vicks VapoRub helped reduce their child’s cold symptoms and let them sleep better.
What is Vicks vapor rub?
Vicks VapoRub is the brand name for a vapor rub made by the U.S. company Procter & Gamble. It’s marketed to relieve cold and cough symptoms. The manufacturer also claims that Vicks VapoRub helps to ease minor muscle aches and joint pain.
How long does it take for Vicks to burn?
Some people may have a burning sensation when using Vicks VapoRub. Test a tiny amount of Vicks VapoRub on your skin before using it. Wait 24 hours and check the area for any sign of an allergic reaction. Also check your child’s skin before you treat them with Vicks VapoRub.
Does vapor rub help with coughs?
The parents surveyed reported that using vapor rub helped to ease symptoms the most. The study doesn’t specify what kind of vapor rub was used or where on the body it was applied .
Does Vicks Vaporub work?
Limited research shows that Vicks VapoRub may help with cold symptoms. When applied to the chest and throat, it may help ease cold symptoms like nose and sinus congestion. Vicks VapoRub will likely not work to help ease cold symptoms when used on the feet.
Can Vicks vaporrub cause dermatitis?
Some ingredients in Vicks VapoRub, especially eucalyptus oil, can cause an allergic reaction. In some cases, using Vicks VapoRub on the skin might cause contact dermatitis. This is a skin rash, redness, or irritation triggered by a chemical. Do not use Vicks VapoRub if you have any open or healing scratches, cuts, or sores on your skin.
The Cough Center
The part of the brain that controls coughing is down at the bottom of the brainstem in an area called the medulla oblongata. It is that part of the brain that manages automatic functions such as breathing, heart rate, vomiting, swallowing and sneezing. The medulla borders on the spinal column.
Feet to Brain
We initially wondered whether there could be absorption of the active and or inactive ingredients in Vicks VapoRub through the skin.
Not by Menthol Alone
Menthol is not the only ingredient in Vicks VapoRub that may be working through transient receptor potential channels. We mentioned eucalyptol, which also triggers TRPM8 ( British Journal of Pharmacology, May 2017 ).
Learn More About Vicks
Share your own Vicks VapoRub story below in the comment section. You may also want to read our eGuide to Colds, Coughs & the Flu. It contains information on many other approaches for easing symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections.
How to stop nighttime coughing?
And it works every time. To stop night time coughing, you put Vicks VapoRub generously on the bottom of both feet at bedtime, then cover with socks. Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about 5 minutes and will stay suppressed ...
What is Vicks Vaporub?
Vicks VapoRub contains menthol, eucalyptus and camphor, which stimulate blood flow to the skin causing counter irritation. Folk medicines worked in similar ways — applying poultices and liniments containing mild irritants such as garlic and mustard to the soles of the feet and the chest — to relieve cough and colds.
Why does a baby inhale a vick?
Another explanation could be because the menthol in the VapoRub dilates the blood vessels in the feet, causing reflexes that soothe the cough.
Does the NRC have a Vicks Vaporub study?
The National Research Council (NRC) of Canada, which does exist, came forward with a statement soon after saying that no such study involving Vicks VapoRub had ever been conducted by the NRC. In retrospect, it seems a little odd that we’d accept such a strange rumour to begin with.
What part of the brain controls coughing?
The part of the brain that controls coughing is way at the bottom of the brainstem in an area called the medulla oblongata. It is that part of the brain that manages automatic functions such as breathing, heart rate, vomiting and sneezing. These are beyond our normal conscious control.
What is the effect of drinking ginger tea on the spinal cord?
Within two minutes this nerve stimulation affected the spinal column and overwhelmed the nerves that were causing muscle cramps.
Is there a placebo controlled trial of Vicks Vaporub?
They are totally right. As far as we can tell, there has never been a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Vicks VapoRub smeared on the feet to treat cough symptoms. The manufacturer of Vicks seems content to sell the product without any changes to the labeling:
Who is Joe Graedon?
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist who has dedicated his career to making drug information understandable to consumers. His best-selling book, The People’s Pharmacy, was published in 1976 and led to a syndicated newspaper column, syndicated public radio show and web site.
Do feet have nerves?
The feet actually have lots of nerves. Ask any acupuncturist and she will tell you all about special meridians on the feet. Western medicine has very little understanding of how sensory nerves impact physiology. But Chinese healers have been aware of such pathways for centuries.
What is Vicks Vaporub?
Vicks Vaporub is something that most people have in their medicine cabinet, ready and waiting to fly into action when a cough or a cold is threatening to strike.
What is Vicks used for?
Vicks for muscle pain. One of the other most common uses of Vaporub is to ease muscle pain. Vaporub may help to ease minor muscular pain, providing a cooling, soothing sensation in the area that might make your muscles and joints seem less sore.
Does Vicks Vaporub work for stretch marks?
Vicks Vaporub for stretchmarks. As much as we’d love Vaporub to be a magical cure for stretch marks, we’re afraid that it’s just not true! Stretch marks are fickle things, and nothing has currently been proven to get rid of them entirely.
Does Vicks Vaporub work for acne?
Vicks Vaporub for acne. If you’ve had a spot break out just before a big night out, then someone may have recommended Vaporub as a sure-fire spot treatment . Honestly though, those people may not be giving you the best advice, and it may backfire on you!
Does Vicks Vaporub help with coughs?
Vicks Vaporub for a cough. If you’ve got a cough and you’re wondering whether you should reach for Vaporub, then you’ll be glad to know that you’re onto a winner this time! Vaporub can help to ease coughs that are caused by colds, relieving the catarrh and phlegm that give you a chesty cough.
Can you rub Vicks Vaporub on your feet?
Vicks Vaporub on your feet. Lots of people swear by Vick’s Vaporub for a cold, but many of these people aren’t rubbing it on to their chest for all of its decongestive benefits. Nope, the latest trend is to rub Vaporub onto your feet, pop on a pair of socks, and then go to bed.
Does Vicks first defence spray help with cold?
Vicks First Defence Nasal Spray stops the cold virus from spreading when it’s in its early stages, so if you use it early enough you can avoid having a cold all together! Don’t worry if you’ve missed your cold prevention window, though, Vicks Vaporub will still be there to soothe that blocked nose and move that catarrh.
Does putting Vicks on your feet stop coughing?
No scientific studies have been performed on whether Vicks VapoRub on your feet eases a cough. As such, it’s not certain whether it does or doesn’t, despite what some proponents of this home remedy may say.
Is Vick good for your feet?
Vicks VapoRub will likely not work to help ease cold symptoms when used on the feet. Adults can safely use this vapor rub on the feet to ease muscle aches or pain.
Can Vicks cure toenail fungus?
Vicks VapoRub is a topical ointment. Although designed for cough suppression, its active ingredients (camphor and eucalyptus oil) may help treat toenail fungus. A 2011 study found that Vicks VapoRub had a “positive clinical effect” in the treatment of toenail fungus.
Does Vicks Vapor Rub help tighten skin?
Vicks is a fabulous skin tightening dynamo. That’s right, the famous vapor rub has been shown to smooth away face and neck wrinkles as well as stretch marks on the belly and tighten the skin there.
Where do you rub Vicks for a cough?
Vicks VapoRub is an ointment that you can use on your skin. The manufacturer recommends rubbing it on your chest or throat to relieve congestion from colds.
What happens if you put Vicks in your nose?
It’s not safe to use Vicks VapoRub inside your nose as it can be absorbed into your body through the mucus membranes lining your nostrils. VVR contains camphor, which can have toxic effects if absorbed into your body. It can be especially dangerous for children if it’s used inside their nasal passages.
Can Vicks hurt your lungs?
Vicks has been reported to cause inflammation in the eyes, mental status changes, lung inflammation, liver damage, constriction of airways and allergic reactions.