Unless your feet are coughing, in which case you might have a different problem. And it works everytime. To stop night time coughing, you put Vicks Vapo rub generously on the bottom of both feet at bedtime, then cover with socks. Even persistant, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about 5 minutes and will stay suppressed for up to 8 hours of relief.
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.
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.
How to put Vicks Vapor Rub on feet?
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. ...
What are the benefits of putting Vicks on your feet?
Menthol and camphor, two of the active ingredients in VapoRub, may help soothe your muscles by acting as a topic anesthetic, according to the NIH. Applying Vicks to your feet may help soothe sore muscles.
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.
Can Vicks VapoRub help with coughing?
Vicks VapoRub contains 2.6% menthol to help stop constant coughing fast. Vicks VapoDrops are also an effective remedy for coughs. Allow 2 drops to dissolve slowly in your mouth to help stop constant coughing. Although Vicks products cannot cure a cough, they can help stop constant coughing.
What do you put on your feet to stop coughing?
Vicks VapoRub on Feet to Stop a Cough - Home Remedies for Cough.
What does putting Vicks on your feet with socks do?
So, Vicks on your feet could really work, or it may be psychological. "By concentrating on something else, i.e. the process of putting Vicks on with the socks, you are reducing your stress levels," psychologist Lynne Jordan told the Daily Mail.
Why put Vicks on your feet at night?
Does putting Vicks on your feet work? Vicks VapoRub 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.
How do I stop a Covid cough?
Other techniques to help with reducing your cough:Close your mouth and swallow.Gently breathe in and out through your nose, until the urge to cough goes away.Sip drinks regularly (hot or cold).Suck boiled sweets or lozenges.
What is the fastest way to cure a cough?
Twelve natural cough remediesHoney tea. According to some research, honey may relieve coughs. ... Ginger. Ginger may ease a dry or asthmatic cough, as it has anti-inflammatory properties. ... Fluids. Staying hydrated is vital for those with a cough or cold. ... Steam. ... Marshmallow root. ... Salt-water gargle. ... Bromelain. ... Thyme.More items...
How do you get rid of a cough overnight?
How to Quell a Nighttime CoughConsider a Cough Medicine Formulated for Nighttime Use. These versions often include an antihistamine, which can make you drowsy. ... Have Some Honey. ... Zap Your Cough With a Vaporizer. ... Use an Extra Pillow — or Two. ... Gargle With Salt Water.
Does putting Vicks on your chest help with a cold?
Vicks VapoRub — a topical ointment made of ingredients including camphor, eucalyptus oil and menthol that you rub on your throat and chest — doesn't relieve nasal congestion. But the strong menthol odor of VapoRub may trick your brain, so you feel like you're breathing through an unclogged nose.
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.
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.
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:
How does Vicks Vaporub work?
It works by creating menthol vapors that feel cooling to your nasal passages when you inhale them, which tricks your brain into thinking you're breathing more easily . It does not actually relieve congestion or a cough—your brain just thinks ...
What is Vicks aporub?
Even if someday VapoRub on the feet is studied and shown to alleviate a cough, it's important to be aware of the following: 1 It contains a poisonous ingredient: Vicks VapoRub is made of camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol. Camphor is poisonous when ingested. 2 It can cause seizures, coma, or death even when a small amount is swallowed or when too much is inhaled or absorbed through the skin. 2 It's not for small children: The Vicks VapoRub packaging clearly states that the product shouldn't be used on children under 2 years of age, but many people ignore the warning. (This goes for anywhere on the body.) 3 It shouldn't be put under the nose: In adults and children older than 2, the product should only be used on the chest.
Does Vicks Vaporub help with cough?
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 Vicks vaporub safe for kids?
While the product has been available and popular for many years, you should know that Vicks is not completely safe for kids.
Does Vicks cough medicine calm the nervous system?
If that's true, they say it's possible that the Vicks product might have a similar impact on the nervous system that's completely separate from its aromatherapy properties. Therefore, it might be able to calm a cough, even though it is applied so far away from the nose. It's important to remember, though, that a popular idea ...
Does Vicks Vaporub cause breathing problems?
It's proven, through studies and real-world incidents, that putting Vicks VapoRub directly under the nose can lead to respiratory distress or difficulty breathing. 2 . Vicks VapoRub for Muscle Aches.
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.
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.
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.
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.".
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.
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 ...
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 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.
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.
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.
Can you use Vicks Vaporub on your nose?
Don’t use Vicks VapoRub on your face, under your nose, or in your nostrils. A child — or adult — might accidentally ingest Vicks VapoRub if it’s put in or near the nostrils.
Does Vicks Vaporub help with sinus congestion?
According to the Mayo Clinic, Vicks VapoRub doesn’t relieve a stuffed up nose or sinus congestion. Instead, the menthol smell is so overpowering that it tricks your brain into thinking that you’re breathing better.
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.
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.
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.
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 Vicks help with earaches?
One of the more unusual of the old wives’ tales we’ve heard, some people believe that putting Vicks on a cotton wool ball and sticking it into your ear will help to ease an earache.