Vicks VapoRub — a topical ointment made of ingredients including camphor, eucalyptus oil and menthol that you rub on your throat and chest — doesn't relieve nasal congestion. But the strong menthol odor of VapoRub may trick your brain, so you feel like you're breathing through an unclogged nose.
To treat a cough, the manufacturer says to rub a thick layer of Vicks VapoRub on your chest and throat. Then, if desired, cover with a warm, dry cloth. Don't use more than directed on the label.
Hold your breath for 3 to 5 seconds. Then—as you let that breath out [coughing]— cough 2 or 3 times. Push on your belly with your arms as you cough. [coughing] Breathe in slowly and gently through your nose, and repeat the coughing if you need to.
When you do cough up phlegm (another word for mucus) from your chest, Dr. Boucher says it really doesn't matter if you spit it out or swallow it.
When you're congested, putting VapoRub on your chest (its intended use) can help you feel like your breathing has improved. It does this by releasing menthol vapors that feel cooling once they hit your nasal passages. This tricks your brain into thinking you are breathing more easily.
Vicks products cannot cure the cold or flu, but they can help relieve chest congestion symptoms so you can feel better while your body heals from the cold or flu virus.
"The ingredients in Vicks can be irritants, causing the body to produce more mucus to protect the airway," said Bruce K.
It interacts with cold receptors in the nose and throat, helping to stop coughing. Vicks VapoRub contains 2.6% menthol to help stop constant coughing fast. Vicks VapoDrops are also an effective remedy for coughs. Allow 2 drops to dissolve slowly in your mouth to help stop constant coughing.
It contains camphor which is toxic if swallowed or absorbed into the body and the manufacturers do in fact warn that VapoRub should not be applied in or near the nostrils and not used on children under 2 years of age.
The menthol and camphor in VapoRub work as topical analgesics, which means they can relieve minor aches and pains of the musculoskeletal system through the skin. They've been used that way for hundreds of years, and the benefits are backed by some medical research.
Mucus and phlegm are similar, yet different: Mucus is a thinner secretion from your nose and sinuses. Phlegm is thicker and is made by your throat and lungs.
Once swallowed, it's digested and absorbed. It isn't recycled intact; your body makes more in the lungs, nose and sinuses. It doesn't prolong your illness or lead to infection or complications in other parts of your body.
Vicks VapoRub® when applied before retiring to bed can reduce subjective sleep disturbances during a common cold.
What are the side effects of Vicks Vaporub (Camphor, Eucalyptus, And Menthol)? Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Less serious side effects may be more likely, and you may have none at all.
If Vicks vaporub is added to hot water to use as a steam inhalation, the warm moisture inhaled in the steam will also help liquify and loosen mucus, allowing the airways to be cleared more effectively. This can relieve a cough as well as a blocked nose.