What Does Putting Vicks On Your Feet Do
Some people claim that putting Vicks VapoRub on your feet can help with cold symptoms. However, there isnt any scientific evidence to support this theory. The manufacturers guidelines say to apply the product to your chest.
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.
Caused By Breathing In Mineral Oils
But what exactly in the Vicks VapoRub caused it? Before I explain, let me define what is Exogenous Lipoid Pneumonia.
Exogenous Lipoid Pneumonia is defined by Dr Edriss as a rare form of pneumonia caused by inhaling a fatty substance like animal fat, vegetable oil or mineral oils.
ELP shows up on X-rays as fast as 30 minutes after inhalation. The person affected will then develop black spots within 24 hours of the last inhalation.
This is the middle-aged mans CT scan which clearly shows black spots on his lungs.
Peoples Pharmacy: Vicks Vaporub Calms Pneumonia Cough
Q. Long ago, I heard about using Vicks VapoRub at bedtime on the soles of the feet to calm a nighttime cough. Recently, my hubby developed a horrible deep cough that made him choke and gasp for breath. No cough suppressant he tried helped at all.
Out of desperation, we dug out the Vicks, applied it to his soles, and he put on socks. In less than an hour, his cough completely subsided. It didnt begin again until late morning the next day.
We followed this routine for 12 days until I finally convinced him to see a doctor. He was diagnosed with pneumonia. After 10 days of antibiotics and a week of prednisone, he is OK again. The doctor was surprised and maybe amused when I mentioned this home remedy.
A.We are impressed that Vicks VapoRub on the soles of the feet actually helped a serious cough that signaled pneumonia. We do NOT recommend toughing it out with a home remedy as long as your hubby did.
Q.I need your advice about lowering my blood pressure. I have found online advice conflicting and confusing. My family doctor, Im sorry to say, is not interested in anything other than prescription drugs. While Im sure they have their place in treatment, I want to exhaust natural remedies first.
A.Probiotics or yogurt with live cultures may be one helpful option. A meta-analysis of nine studies found that probiotics with multiple species of bacteria could lower blood pressure modestly .
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How Often Should You Use Vicks Vaporub
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. Also know, is Vicks Vapor Rub dangerous?
Swallowing a few teaspoons of camphor one of the main ingredients in VapoRub and other topical medications, such as Campho-Phenique and Bengay can cause deadly poisoning in toddlers. Topical camphor absorbed through mucous membranes or broken skin also can be toxic.
Likewise, what does Vicks VapoRub on your feet do? Camphor and menthol produce a cooling sensationUsing 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.
Beside this, can you use too much Vicks?
Although an overdose of Vicks VapoRub is unlikely if you follow the directions and keep it out of the reach of children, it is important to know the signs of an overdose and respond immediately: Stomach pain, vomiting, nausea. Burning sensation in the mouth or throat. Seizures and perhaps muscles in spasm.
What else can Vicks VapoRub be used for?
Vicks VapoRub is a common home remedy used to alleviate certain foot conditions, including athlete’s foot and cracked heels. The standout antimicrobial ingredients of the rub, plus the inclusion of petroleum jelly, help to lock in moisture while killing off bacteria.
Applying Vicks Vaporub On Nostrils Can Cause Lung Opacities Within 24 Hours
According to Edriss, the accurate diagnosis should have been exogenous lipoid pneumonia, an uncommon and under-diagnosed condition.
Caused by inhalation or aspiration of animal fat or vegetal or mineral oil, exogenous lipoid pneumonia can manifest radiologically within 30 minutes of aspiration or inhalation, and lung opacities can appear in most patients within 24 hours.
Because Vicks VapoRub contains a variety of oil-based materials such as petrolatum, eucalyptus oil, cedarleaf oil, nutmeg oil, thymol and turpentine oil, it should not be inhaled or applied on nostrils.
A separate article from The Seattle Times also confirms that applying Vicks VapoRub on one’s nostrils may cause lung inflammation.
Here is an example they cited.
“This warning is more important than ever, since researchers at Wake Forest University recently reported a case in which an 18-month-old child developed severe breathing problems when her grandparents put Vicks under her nostrils for a cold .”
You can view Edriss’ full post here:
Top image via Hawa J Edriss on Facebook
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What Helps A Chesty Cough
Things you can do yourself
Is Vicks Bad For 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.
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Is There A Vaccine For Pneumonia
There isnt a vaccine for all types of pneumonia, but 2 vaccines are available. These help prevent pneumonia caused by pneumococcal bacteria. The first is recommended for all children younger than 5 years of age. The second is recommended for anyone age 2 or older who is at increased risk for pneumonia. Getting the pneumonia vaccine is especially important if you:
- Are 65 years of age or older.
- Smoke.
- Have certain chronic conditions, such as asthma, lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, sickle cell disease, or cirrhosis.
- Have a weakened immune system because of HIV/AIDS, kidney failure, a damaged or removed spleen, a recent organ transplant, or receiving chemotherapy.
- Have cochlear implants .
The pneumococcal vaccines cant prevent all cases of pneumonia. But they can make it less likely that people who are at risk will experience the severe, and possibly life-threatening, complications of pneumonia.
Is Vicks Vaporub Harmful
The bottom line. Its 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 its used inside their nasal passages.
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Is Vaporub Bad For 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.
Does Bronchitis Get Worse At Night
What to do when coughing is severe. Most coughs go away on their own, but severe nighttime coughing may be a sign of a serious condition. For example, heart failure can cause a chronic cough that worsens at night. Respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and COPD also cause severe, chronic cough.
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Dont Ever Put Vicks Vaporub Or Petroleum Jelly In Your Nose
The bottom line here is to take this seriously.
If you use petroleum jelly or Vicks Vaporub when you have a cold, keep it on your upper chest and lips and never put it where it might get inhaled.
It says right on the package of these products not to use in the nose, but since they are such common products not everyone reads the packaging.
Is Vicks Vapor Inhaler Safe
Its 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 its used inside their nasal passages.
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Vicks Vaporub Causes Respiratory Problems Use This Instead
The ingredients in Vicks can be irritants, causing the body to produce more mucus to protect the airway, Dr. Rubin, the studys lead author, said in a statement to the media. Infants and young children have airways that are much narrower than those of adults, so any increase in mucus or inflammation can narrow them more severely. Petrolatum, one of the ingredients in Vicks, is also linked to cancer.
Among the studies linking the petrolatum impurity PAHs to breast cancer is a Columbia University study in which researchers found that the breast tissue of women with breast cancer was 2.6 times more likely to contain elevated levels of PAHs bound to DNA than the breast tissue of women without breast cancer . Serious questions need to be answered over the safety of petrolatum or petroleum jelly as it is more commonly known.
Heres What To Do If You Have A Stuffy Nose
Its fine to use vapor products on your chest, and some people find relief by using vapor products with a warm vaporizer machine.
You can also try nasal saline, which most stores sell.
Or, exhale gently, and before you inhale again, pinch your nose closed, close your mouth, and nod your head a dozen times slowly.
You will want to get more air, but wait until you are finished nodding your head.
Now release your nose and breathe in and this often has cleared your nose.
This often gives you quick, temporary, and safe relief.
Be careful of products like Afrin, though, which can give you a serious bounce back effect and become addictive.
Most of us get colds at least once in a while, and it can be tempting to put products like Vicks Vaporub right in our noses to get relief.
But its a very bad idea
-Important Message for Men Who Want to Prevent Sickness-
Im following my own Flu & Virus Protocol that I believe is working for me in two ways:
Im hoping my Flu & Virus Protocol is like installing a special defense system for my bodys immunities.
Because there is no cure, no vaccine, no magic pill every person who gets a virus must rely upon his or her own defenses to get well.
And even if there is a vaccine for viruses, like the flu vaccine, as you know now, it is no sure thing
This is a way to make my own luck.
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Man Contracted Pneumonia From Breathing In Vicks Vaporub Gel
According to Dr Edriss, a middle-aged man had been applying Vicks Vaporub gel directly under his nose for over 10 years to combat his persistent nasal congestion issue.
Since then, he went in and out of health care centres after being diagnosed with respiratory distress. Doctors determined his sickness to be infectious pneumonia, which is inaccurate, as Dr Edriss clarified in her post.
As well find out, the disease is not infectious.
Upon picking up the case, Dr Edriss found that the accurate diagnosis for this man is Exogenous Lipoid Pneumonia.
Healing Rough Skin On Your Heels
The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends petroleum jelly as a moisturizer, especially when used on damp skin, because it keeps moisture from evaporating.
That may explain why some people have found Vicks VapoRub helpful for healing rough skin on the feet and heels.
But more research is needed to support the anecdotal claims about its usefulness as a treatment for dry, calloused skin on the feet.
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Is It Ok To Use Vicks Vaporub With Covid
Products containing menthol are not recommended for people with COVID-19. Menthol can trigger receptors in your brain that make you feel as though youre breathing more clearly than you are and can lead you to underestimate the severity of your symptoms. This may result in delaying necessary medical treatment.
If youre experiencing trouble breathing due to a SARS-CoV-2 infection, its best to talk with a doctor about treatment options. Do not use off-label medications for treating an infection with the coronavirus.
Vicks Is Not Harmful If Not Applied Directly Under The Nose
In conclusion, Vicks Vaporub itself is harmless if not applied directly under the nose.
According to Dr Edriss, the gel contains tons of mineral oils like petrolatum, eucalyptus oil, cedarleaf oil, nutmeg oil, petrolatum, thymol and turpentine oil.
Inhaling oils directly will result in them getting stuck in the lungs like what happened to this man.
So if youre feeling unwell, you can apply the gel on your chest, feet or temples. Just dont apply it under your nostrils.
We have reached out to Vicks Singapore for a statement and will update the article accordingly.
Know someone who has the habit of applying the gel under their nose? Share this piece of news with them in the comments below.
Feature images adapted from .
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How Can You Tell The Difference Between A Cough And A Chest Infection
The symptoms of a chest infection are more likely to include coughing and bringing up phlegm. An upper respiratory tract infection may cause a cough, but it can also produce symptoms such as sneezing, a blocked or runny nose and a sore throat. The effects of a chest infection will also tend to last a little longer.
Is Wine Good For Pneumonia
Moderate wine consumption, commonly recognized as two drinks per day for men and one for women, has been linked with reduced threat for some pneumonia risk factors, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and a 2003 study found that red wine and resveratrol were as effective as antibiotics at killing the
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Relief For Your Symptoms
Pneumonia wonât go away overnight. You might need anywhere from a week to a month to get better. Depending on the kind of pneumonia you have, your doctor may prescribe a drug that fights bacteria or a drug that fights viruses to help you get better. While youâre waiting for that to work, there are a bunch of ways you can ease the coughing, aches, and fever.
How To Regain Your Strength After Pneumonia
While recovering from mild pneumonia, be sure to:
- Eat a well-balanced diet
- Slowly work back into your exercise routine
“Physical activity can help your lungs regain strength but go slow. Start with light exercise and stop if your cough worsens or you have trouble breathing. If a light workout feels okay, you can put a little more effort into your next workout,” says Dr. Lee.
However, Dr. Lee’s advice for someone recovering from severe pneumonia looks quite different.
“The first thing to realize is that your body may be extremely weak after being discharged from the hospital, so you’ll need to take extra care leaning on your support network, if possible,” says Dr. Lee.
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Is Menthol Harmful During Pregnancy
Menthol is a common ingredient of many throat lozenges, sprays, and topical ointments. There are no human studies on the use of menthol during pregnancy thus, its risk is undetermined. The concentration of menthol in these products is low, and the risk of malformations is therefore believed to be small.
Does Red Wine Help Lungs
Other studies have found that wine drinkers have healthier lungs than nondrinkers or people who drink other alcoholic beverages. And resveratrol was recently found to help reduce inflammation and fluid buildup in the lungs, giving it the potential to alleviate ailments such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
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Don’t Use On Children Younger Than 2 Years
The manufacturer’s directions warn that Vicks VapoRub should not be used on children younger than age 2 1. According to the authors of an article published in the January 2009 issue of “Chest,” an 18-month-old child developed difficulty breathing after her caregivers applied VapoRub under her nose for a cold. While VapoRub could not be proven as the cause of the child’s symptoms, the authors speculated this was the case based on similar symptoms in a few other young children who had VapoRub applied near the nose. To explore their theory, they conducted some experiments in ferrets. When VapoRub was applied directly to the animals’ airways, the ointment caused an increase in mucus production, which narrowed the size of the airways. However, direct application of VapoRub to the airways is not the same as applying the ointment externally. Additional research is needed.
- The manufacturer’s directions warn that Vicks VapoRub should not be used on children younger than age 2 1.
- When VapoRub was applied directly to the animals’ airways, the ointment caused an increase in mucus production, which narrowed the size of the airways.
The Vicks Vaporub Debate
Odds are, when you were a kid your mother put Vicks VapoRub on your chest to ease your cold symptoms. But this decades-old treatment has come under modern scrutiny.
In 1905, a North Carolina pharmacist began marketing a product called Vicks Magic Croup Salve. The product, now known as Vicks VapoRub, became wildly popular sales during the 1918 flu epidemic grew from $900,000 to $2.9 million.
More than 100 years later, some still swear by the product.
My husband loves Vicks. He rubs it on his chest and under his nose, reports 37-year-old Shannon Marks, of Mandeville, La. Marks says other family members use it to relieve a cough and even to ease dry feet, but she doesnt use it on herself or for treating her childrens cold symptoms. Weve used the vapors in a humidifier and weve bought the plug-ins.
Theres a reason that some people dont use Vicks VapoRub on their children: Recently, researchers found that putting Vicks VapoRub under a childs nose actually makes it harder for the child to breathe.
Vicks VapoRub: Camphor Concerns
The report earlier this year was not the first time that products like Vicks VapoRub that contain camphor have come under scrutiny. Camphor has long been used in combination with menthol in a variety of preparations that are promoted as chest rubs to fight colds by soothing coughing and opening stuffy noses.
However, camphor is also highly toxic: Eating or drinking as little as five milliliters of camphor oil can kill a child.
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