Surprising Treatments for Vicks VapoRub!
Vicks VapoRub was developed by pharmacist Lunsford Richardson in the late 1800’s and still is excellent medicine today! It’s approved uses are to relieve coughs, nasal congestion, and apply to sore muscles to relieve minor aches and pains (similar in efficacy to Tiger Balm). However it has many more great uses I will discuss below! Vicks VapoRub contains camphor, eucalytus oil, menthol, cedarleaf oil, nutmeg oil, thymol and turpentine oil. It is for external use only, because it can be poisonous if taken internally. Keep it out of the inside of nose and mouth; don’t apply under tight bandages; keep it away from wounds and broken skin; and see me or your physician when medical attention is needed.
Vick Vapo products are: VapoRub ointment, VapoRub topical cream, Vaposteam, VapoDrops, VapoInhaler, and VapoSyrup.
Approved Uses from long term testing
1. Cough & Congestion & Chronic Bronchitis
when applied to the upper chest, it provides excellent relief of cough and congestion (occasionally people can be allergic to some component, so if you develop a rash stop the Vicks)
2. Nighttime Hacking Cough Relief
generously rub VapoRub all over your feet (or your child/toddler) and cover them with socks, and within moments your cough will subside!
3. Topical Analgesic for minor aches and pains and muscle soreness or overwork
apply a generous portion over the aching area to provide almost instant relief (similar to Tiger Balm)
has even significantly relieved tennis elbow for some people within 1 week of use
Other Good Potential Uses
1. Nail Fungus – Vicks oils work together for ant-fungal activity
rub ointment on and around your nails twice a day consistently (three weeks to 2-6 months)
within days the toenail may turn dark (means Vicks is killing the fungus) and the dark part will gradually grow off (large toenails can take up to nearly 12 months to grow out)
2. Paper Cuts and Splinters and Split in Mouth/Lip Corners and Cold Sores
to speed up healing time and prevent infection, apply a small amount of Vicks on any small cut or splinter
3. Headaches
rub a small amount of Vicks on your forehead and temples, and the scent will relieve pressure in your head and almost instantly relieve pain
4. Ticks and Bugs, Mosquitoes, Wasps
apply immediately to a tick to help get the tick to release
Vicks wards off mosquitoes
if do have bug bite, then dab a small amount to it and apply a Band-Aid to relieve itching
5. Humidify Your Sleep
Vicks can be used in certain specific humidifiers and vaporizers
the humidifier circulates Vicks throughout the air to help you breathe clearer at night
6. External Hemorrhoids – for some people Vicks can help
for some people Vicks once nightly or twice a day can relive itching and burning and shrink hemorrhoids (but use only a little the first time = because it usually burns just a few seconds at first then very quickly feels much better, but in some people the burning sensation is magnified and stays a long time – those people will not want to use it!)
7. Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis
applying daily as needed on scaly dandruff, scaling around ears and on eyebrows (on eyebrows apply a very small fine amount)
very quickly softens and removes the scales and itching
8. Pet Potty Deterrent
if your dog is not yet potty trained, put an open bottle of Vicks on the area he like to potty or mark (the smell discourages them to potty or mark)
Thank you Lunsford for this excellent inexpensive medicine with many uses! (He named it after his brother-in-law Dr. Joshua Vick.)
Dr. Lisa
