Put Vicks VapoRub on This Place on Your Body Every Night Before Sleeping? Here’s What the Evidence Says
Vicks VapoRub has been used for generations, and its strong mentholated scent can certainly make a bedtime routine feel soothing. But viral claims that rubbing it on a particular body part every night will produce a long list of “amazing effects” often go well beyond what the product is actually designed to do.
VapoRub contains menthol, camphor, and eucalyptus oil. According to the manufacturer’s current directions, it is intended to temporarily relieve cough associated with the common cold when applied to the chest and throat, and it can temporarily relieve minor muscle and joint aches when applied to the affected area.
What happens when you use it at bedtime?
For cough, applying VapoRub to the chest and throat allows its medicated vapors to be inhaled. It may temporarily suppress a cough and provide a cooling, soothing sensation. The manufacturer recommends using it up to three times daily for cough rather than specifically recommending nightly use.
For minor muscle or joint discomfort, menthol and camphor act as topical analgesics and can provide temporary relief when applied to the affected area.
What about putting it on your feet?
One popular internet claim says that applying VapoRub to the soles of the feet before bed can stop coughing or provide other systemic benefits.
There isn’t good evidence that the soles of the feet are a special route for delivering VapoRub’s active ingredients to treat cough or other illnesses. The product’s labeled cough application is the chest and throat, not the feet.
So if a person enjoys the sensation of putting it on their feet, that doesn’t mean the practice has the remarkable medical effects sometimes claimed online.
Important safety points
VapoRub is a medication, not simply an ordinary moisturizer. Use it externally and according to the product label. Avoid contact with the eyes, mouth, and other sensitive areas.
It should not be used in children under 2 years of age, according to the manufacturer’s labeling.
Don’t put it inside the nose or mouth, and don’t swallow it. The product contains camphor, which can be dangerous if ingested.
Also, don’t assume that applying more will produce better results. Using the product more frequently or on areas not specified by the label isn’t a proven way to increase its effectiveness.
