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 children under the age of 2, and use only as directed (on chest and throat only) for all children.
Full Answer
Why does putting Vicks on your feet stop coughing?
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. ...
Can putting Vicks VapoRub on your feet help your cough?
Surprising Uses for Vicks
- It kills the nasty fungus on your nails.
- Applying a small amount of it on doors, walls, windows as well as your body can prevent cats from scratching them.
- The smell of Vicks discourages unpotty trained dogs and cats from peeing.
- Its mentholated scent relieves headaches.
- Applying Vicks on a tick bite can relieve the itching.
Where to put Vicks to stop coughing?
What stops coughing at night?
- Incline the head of your bed.
- Use a humidifier.
- Try honey.
- Tackle your GERD.
- Use air filters and allergy-proof your bedroom.
- Prevent cockroaches.
- Seek treatment for a sinus infection.
- Rest and take decongestants for a cold.
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.
Does Vicks on your feet work for adults?
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. Adults can safely use this vapor rub on the feet to ease muscle aches or pain.16-Oct-2019
Does putting VapoRub on your feet stop you coughing?
There is no evidence that using Vicks VapoRub on your feet will help ease a cough. This product may seem to help because menthol vapors make you feel as if you are breathing more easily. VapoRub is not safe for children under 2. It contains camphor, which is poisonous if swallowed.27-Sept-2021
Where do you put Vicks for a cough?
A: For cough suppression, rub a thick layer of Vicks VapoRub on your chest and throat. Cover with a warm, dry cloth, if desired. Keep clothing loose about your throat and chest to help the vapors to reach the nose and mouth.
Why should you put Vicks VapoRub on your feet?
Camphor and menthol produce a cooling sensation Using Vicks VapoRub on your feet or other areas of your body has a cooling effect. This is mainly because of the camphor and menthol. The cooling sensation of the vapor rub may be pleasing and temporarily help you feel better.16-Oct-2019
How do you get rid of a cough in 5 minutes?
How to Calm Daytime CoughingTake an Expectorant. ... Reach for a Cough Suppressant. ... Sip a Warm Beverage. ... Step Up Your Fluid Intake. ... Suck on Hard Candy. ... Consider a Cough Medicine Formulated for Nighttime Use. ... Have Some Honey. ... Zap Your Cough With a Vaporizer.More items...•02-Feb-2022
How can I stop a constant cough at night?
The following 10 tips may help a person reduce or ease their nighttime coughing:Try a humidifier. A humidifier machine may help if the coughing is caused by dry air. ... Decrease allergens. ... Manage GERD. ... Drink tea with honey. ... Consider over-the-counter medicine. ... Elevate the head. ... Gargle with warm salt water before bed. ... Quit smoking.More items...
Can Vicks hurt your lungs?
The salve is widely used to relieve symptoms of colds and congestion, but there are few data supporting an actual clinical benefit, according to Rubin. Vicks has been reported to cause inflammation in the eyes, mental status changes, lung inflammation, liver damage, constriction of airways and allergic reactions.14-Jan-2009
Is it OK to put Vicks under your nose?
Topical camphor absorbed through mucous membranes or broken skin also can be toxic. That's why you should never put VapoRub in or around the nostrils — especially a small child's nostrils. And if VapoRub gets in your eye, it can injure your cornea.
Where do you put Vicks on a sore throat?
As a cough suppressant for minor throat and bronchial irritation associated with the common cold, rub a thick layer of Vicks VapoRub on your chest and throat and cover it with a warm, dry cloth, she says. To let the vapors reach your nose and mouth, keep your clothing loose around those areas, she says.23-Sept-2021
Can Vicks VapoRub cause pneumonia?
We report a case of exogenous lipoid pneumonia from chronic, extranasal use of petrolatum ointment (Vicks VapoRub in this case) for nasal decongestion in a young woman, presenting with cough, dyspnea and fever. Exogenous Lipoid pneumonia is a rare condition, underdiagnosed and is more prevalent in adults.
What are the side effects of Vicks VapoRub?
Because Vicks VapoRub is applied to the skin, the most likely side effects are:Skin irritations.Rash.Redness.Hives.07-Feb-2022
How do you get rid of a cold in 5 minutes?
Cold remedies that workStay hydrated. Water, juice, clear broth or warm lemon water with honey helps loosen congestion and prevents dehydration. ... Rest. Your body needs rest to heal.Soothe a sore throat. ... Combat stuffiness. ... Relieve pain. ... Sip warm liquids. ... Try honey. ... Add moisture to the air.More items...
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.
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 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.
Where is the brain's cough center?
Given that feet contains lots of nerves, Graedon speculates that sensory nerves in the soles of the feet may respond to stimulation with Vicks VapoRub: The [brain's] cough center is right next to the spinal cord.
When did Vicks Vaporub start?
Vicks VapoRub has been around since 1919, when a Spanish flu epidemic solidified its place in American medicine cabinets, but only in relatively recent history have consumers begun using it on their feet instead of its intended application on the chest and neck.
Does menthol open up airways?
The ointment's active ingredient is menthol, which Rutgers University pediatrician Satya D. Narisety, M.D., tells Parents.com, "doesn't actually open up airways or break up mucous, but...trick [s] your brain into thinking your airways are opening up and you're not so congested.".
Who is Joe Graedon?
Joe Graedon, a pharmacologist with an M.S. from University of Michigan, has a theory about how the Vicks-on-feet remedy might work, based on recent research by Nobel prize-winning neuroscientist Rod MacKinnon, M.D., and his colleague Bruce Bean, Ph.D., of Harvard.
What is Vicks ointment used for?
Vicks ointment has been used to treat cough and colds for many years. The vapor rub is mainly used on a person’s chest when they are suffering from a cold or even the flu. It has been put into steam vaporizers to help relieve a stuffed up nose and help us sleep better. Others have used the ointment on the outside of their nostrils to help clear up a sinus infection. A newer method of using the well known vapor rub is to apply it on the feet of the person with the cold. After the Vicks is spread over the feet, the person should put socks on.
Does Vicks Vapor Rub help with colds?
Of course, there are many people out there that claim that using Vicks Vapor Rub on the feet will not help with a cold at all. There are just as many, if not more, believers out there that swear that it works to not just stop a cough, but it will actually cure a cold.
Can you use vapor rub on your feet?
A newer method of using the well known vapor rub is to apply it on the feet of the person with the cold. After the Vicks is spread over the feet, the person should put socks on. Holistic practitioners have known for centuries that many ailments can be healed through the soles of the feet.
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.