What does Vicks Vapor Rub do on your feet?
Uses that have some scientific support
- Relieving congestion. Vicks VapoRub isn’t a decongestant. ...
- Easing cough. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) lists camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol as cough suppressants.
- Soothing sore muscles. The NIH describes both camphor and menthol as topical analgesics, or pain relievers you rub on your skin.
- Treating toenail fungus. ...
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 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...
Why rub VapoRub on feet at night?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend:
- resting as much as possible
- getting plenty of fluids
- using saline nasal sprays
- breathing steam from hot water
- using lozenges
- taking honey-based drinks
- using a humidifier or cool mist vaporizer
Why put Vicks on your feet at night?
According to the Mayo Clinic, studies show that applying pressure to areas of the feet can alleviate stress and even reduce pain. Other reflexology claims are not supported by science, however. So, Vicks on your feet could really work, or it may be psychological.
Why does putting Vicks on your feet stop coughing?
Using Vicks VapoRub on Your Feet A popular theory you may have seen online says VapoRub may stimulate the nerves in your feet. According to the theory, this stimulation is passed up the spinal cord to the medulla oblongata in the brain. The medulla oblongata is the part of your brain that regulates coughing.
Does Vicks on soles of feet work?
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.
Where do you rub Vicks to stop coughing?
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Does Vicks grow hair?
The Vicks VapoRub ingredients that stimulate hair growth are camphor, lavender, eucalyptus and menthol. Eucalyptus also improves hair elasticity and keeps it strong. Menthol – Gets rid of irritants thus giving room for hair to grow easily.
Why do the bottoms of my feet hurt so bad?
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the fibrous tissue (plantar fascia) along the bottom of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes. Plantar fasciitis can cause intense heel pain. Plantar fasciitis (PLAN-tur fas-e-I-tis) is one of the most common causes of heel pain.
Is it OK to 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.
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.
How to get rid of a swollen nose?
Rub a layer of Vicks VapoRub on your chest and neck only. Drape a warm, dry cloth over your head while you’re sitting upright or standing. Loosen any clothing around your chest and throat so vapors can rise to your nose area. Repeat, if needed, up to three times in a 24-hour period. Not on your nose.
What is the menthol scent in a salve?
menthol (2.6 percent) eucalyptus oil (1.2 percent) It also contains several inactive ingredients that may be responsible for some of its popular uses: cedarleaf oil. nutmeg oil. petrolatum. thymol. turpentine oil. The salve has a strong menthol scent and a petroleum jelly–like texture.
How to get rid of stretch marks on face?
If you want a surefire remedy, you may want to try one of these three treatments: microdermabrasion. needling (injecting collagen under the skin) laser therapy.
Is Vicks Vaporub safe for animals?
The ingredients in Vicks VapoRub can be dangerous for animals. Vicks VapoRub is generally safe for use on older children and adults. Don’t use it on children younger than 2 years old, as it can cause serious health problems for them. Last medically reviewed on July 14, 2020.
Does Vicks Vaporub work?
It’s been tried as an acne treatment, but other products may work just as well without risking the irritation some of its ingredients can cause.
Can you heat Vicks Vaporub?
Don’t heat Vicks VapoRub before you use it, as it can cause burns. Never eat or swallow Vicks VapoRub. The ingredients are toxic when ingested. There have been cases when Vicks VapoRub caused the skin under the nose to lighten.
Does menthol help with headaches?
have shown that gels and ointments containing menthol have been effective at relieving headaches when applied to the base of the skull. However, the amount of menthol in the tested products was much higher (6 percent and 10 percent) than the amount of menthol in Vicks VapoRub (2.6 percent). So far, there aren’t any studies that support the use ...
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 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.
Is camphor poisonous?
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. 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.
What is the best way to relieve muscle cramps?
Basically, some scientists believe that at least one type of muscle cramp is caused by hyperactivity of certain nerves, and numerous placebo-controlled studies have shown that drinking a concoction of pungent and hot spices (including cinnamon and capsaicin) can distract these nerv es and relieve the cramps. 1 .
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.
How to walk back the negative sensations of an intense workout?
stocksy. To walk back the negative sensations of an intense workout, apply a bit of Vicks VapoRub to the affected area. While studies still need to be done on how effective the product is for this use, the cooling sensation works to soothe irritated or tired muscles.
What is Vicks Vaporub?
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.
What is blue goo?
At the top of this list is everyone's favorite blue goo, Vicks VapoRub, a topical cough suppressant designed to clear the sinuses and alleviate the symptoms of the common cold.
Is Vicks made of petroleum jelly?
says Sobel. Vicks is made with petroleum jelly, and while it's great for keeping wounds moist (and acne lesions are technically wounds), it could actually be the cause of breakouts, according to the American Academy of Dermatology .
Does Vicks Vaporub help with bruises?
For minor bruises, you may consider using Vicks VapoRub. This is due in large part to menthol, which helps to lessen the pain associated with the bruise by providing a cooling sensation, which helps alleviate inflammation. "The product is very cooling, so it can certainly help with minor bruises to calm the skin," confirms Sobel.
Does Vicks Vaporub hurt?
If you're looking to fade the appearance of stretch marks , this is one of the most surprising uses for Vicks VapoRub. "It definitely won’t hurt," says Sobel. Again, the anti-inflammatory properties of the product have been known to reduce scarring (including stretch marks). While it is not proven to be an effective way to diminish the appearance of stretch marks, it may be worth giving it a shot.
Does Vicks help with headaches?
It's a potential quick fix to clear your head and alleviate cranial pain. "The third major ingredient of Vicks is menthol, which when derived from peppermint helps with headaches," confirms Jose . Apply a bit to your chest, or check out these shower tablets that turn your shower into a full-on spa experience. 08 of 12.