Vicks Vapor Rub on your feet??

**Clairity** · 10-23-2007 09:52 AM

I received the following in an email and, with winter coming on, I thought I'd share.
I can't vouch for it's effectiveness.. neither can I (nor snopes.com) deny that it might work:

To stop nighttime coughing in a child (or an adult, as we found out personally), put Vicks Vapor Rub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime and then cover with socks. Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about five minutes and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief. This works 100 percent of the time and is more effective in children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition, it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly.

Cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good due to the chemical makeup of these strong drugs. It was a surprising finding and found to be more effective than prescribed medicines for children at bedtime and in addition to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children who then went on to sleep soundly. My wife tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant and persistent cough a few weeks ago and it worked 100 percent! She said it felt like a warm blanket had enveloped her. The coughing stopped in a few minutes, and believe me, this was a deep (incredibly annoying!), every few seconds, uncontrollable cough, and she slept cough-free for hours every night she used it.

I can only add that if your feet have broken skin, etc.. this might not be a good idea.

**Goldney** · 10-23-2007 10:08 AM

Hmm, this seems like another pseudo-science thing to me, along with astrology and holistic healing. I can't really understand why it would work, the vicks vapour rub needs to get into the lungs not the bloodstream to stop coughing, also your feet have some of the thickest skin on your entire body, if it did need to get into the bloodstream then it would be more effective on thinner skinned areas such as your shoulders.

Neither do I approve of:

Cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good due to the chemical makeup of these strong drugs.

Telling gullible parents that is a terrible thing that may endanger the child, medicine is designed to make you better, not worse. If there was a project out there on the market that did that it would be banned immediately. What's worse is that it sounds like it could just be true.

**Clairity** · 10-23-2007 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Goldney

Hmm, this seems like another pseudo-science thing to me, along with astrology and holistic healing. I can't really understand why it would work, the vicks vapour rub needs to get into the lungs not the bloodstream to stop coughing, also your feet have some of the thickest skin on your entire body, if it did need to get into the bloodstream then it would be more effective on thinner skinned areas such as your shoulders. .

I'm thinking it's the warmth generating up from your feet that helps.. sortof like how simply wearing socks to bed makes your whole body warmer.

Who knows?? There are all kinds of "folk remedies" that work that science hasn't embraced.

Originally Posted by Goldney

Telling gullible parents that is a terrible thing that may endanger the child, medicine is designed to make you better, not worse. If there was a project out there on the market that did that it would be banned immediately. What's worse is that it sounds like it could just be true.

We all know that any medication can be potentiall harmful and that there are some that are have yet to be banned (either due to the pharmeceutical companies influence or FDA on-going investigations).

But I do understand what you're saying and hopefully a parent's common sense would be applied.

**Spartiate** · 10-23-2007 10:30 AM

Meh, I call placebo, it probably does more good on the chest...

**Goldney** · 10-23-2007 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by Clairity

I'm thinking it's the warmth generating up from your feet that helps.. sortof like how simply wearing socks to bed makes your whole body warmer.

In that case it doesn't really matter whether Vicks is used or not as long as the feet are kept warm (speaking of which mine are like blocks of ice).

**Clairity** · 10-23-2007 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Goldney

In that case it doesn't really matter whether Vicks is used or not as long as the feet are kept warm (speaking of which mine are like blocks of ice).

I'm guessing that the Vicks intensifies the warmth.

You're not alone.. when the weather gets cooler.. my nose, hands and feet stay cold!!

**Burns** · 10-23-2007 01:10 PM

I am soo going to try this next time I have a chest cold. Though I hope I don't get the opportunity for a good long time!

I don't see how it could be a placebo, I mean, if you've ever had coughing at night like that, you know that it's an involuntarily thing, and no matter how hard you try, you have that tickle and the cough just bursts out of you. I can't imagine someone being able to voluntarily suppress a cough like that.

**Spartiate** · 10-23-2007 01:18 PM

In children, coughing is often just a bad habbit, something I used to do too...

**sleepygirl** · 10-23-2007 09:13 PM

i've been having a bad cough i should try this like today i just got to find the stuff in my medicine cabinet tums and willow bark are going to fly out at my face when i open the door

**wasup** · 10-23-2007 10:04 PM

I think it's all just a ploy to get people to get Vicks Vapor Rub all over their socks

**Goldney** · 10-24-2007 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by wasup

I think it's all just a ploy to get people to get Vicks Vapor Rub all over their socks

Hahahaha, and why, pray tell, would there be a dastardly ploy for that?!

**Jeff777** · 10-25-2007 06:49 PM

That would be interesting to try...

**wasup** · 10-26-2007 01:44 PM

Jeff why did edit your original post about helping your mom just out of curiosity

**Spartiate** · 10-26-2007 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by wasup

Jeff why did edit your original post about helping your mom just out of curiosity

Probably didn't want to be asked for the results

.

**Jeff777** · 10-26-2007 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by wasup

Jeff why did edit your original post about helping your mom just out of curiosity

I don't know what you're talking about hahahaha

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