Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It WorksUnlikely BenefitsPossible BenefitsPrecautions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Works
Unlikely Benefits
Possible Benefits
Precautions
There is no scientific proof that putting Vicks VapoRub on your feet will help ease a cough and other cold symptoms. However, there is some evidence that putting Vicks VapoRub on your feet with socks can improve cracked heels, ease foot pain, and treat toenail fungus.
The intended use of Vicks VapoRub is applied on the chest to ease cold-related cough in adults and children over two. It may also help relieve mild muscle or joint pain.Vicks VapoRub is medicinal, so it’s important to understand the safety recommendations and precautions for using it effectively.
How Vicks VapoRub Works
Vicks VapoRub is an over-the-counter (OTC) topical ointment that consists of the following active ingredients:
When applied to the chest, these ingredients act as acough suppressantand topicalanalgesic(pain reliever).To ease your cough, these agents numb the respiratory reflex that causes throat irritation and coughing.
Other uses of Vicks VapoRub may include the following, although research is limited:
Is Vicks VapoRub a decongestant?
Verywell / Tim Liedtke
Vicks on Your Feet Won’t Help a Cough
According to the theory, Vicks VapoRub stimulates nerves in the feet that are then transmitted to themedulla oblongatain the brain. The is the part of your brain that regulates coughs.
To date, there’s no evidence that stimulating the foot affects the cough reflex. Even so, many people swear that rubbing their feet with Vicks and covering them with socks lessens the severity and duration of the common cold.
Benefits of Rubbing Vicks VapoRub On the Feet
Vicks VapoRub has other popular off-label uses. Some of these have actual benefits based on research. For instance, Vicks VapoRubis may be useful in relievingneuropathic (nerve-related) pain, treating toenail fungus, and softening callouses.
Topical Pain Relief
Camphor and menthol are topical analgesics that may help easeperipheral neuropathy. This is nerve pain in the feet and hands that causes “pins and needles” or burning sensations.
There is some evidence that camphor and menthol have similar pain-relieving properties tocapsaicin(the compound in chili peppers that gives them their heat).Like capsaicin, camphor and menthol inhibit a cellular receptor called TRPA1 that translates heat, cold, and pressure on the skin into neuropathic pain.
A 2017 study found topical menthol was able to provide modest relief in people with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
Treat Toenail Fungus
The camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus in Vicks VapoRub have antifungal properties that may be useful for treating toenail fungus (onychomycosis).
In a small study, Vicks VaporRub helped to ease onychomycosis symptoms in 83% of study participants. More than one-quarter experienced complete clearance after 48 weeks of Vicks VapoRub applied daily.
In another study, Vicks VapoRub effectively treated toenail fungus in people with HIV, a group who is especially vulnerable to onychomycosis.
Smooth Cracked Heels
Some people use Vicks VapoRub on their feet for cracked heels. The fact that the product has a petroleum jelly base is key. The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends petroleum jelly for softeningcalluseson your feet and heels.
Petroleum jelly also has excellent occlusive properties (meaning it locks in skin moisture). This helps people with footxerosis(skin dryness), the major cause of cracked heels, particularly in winter.
Vicks VapoRub has been used for generations as part of an armament of tools used to treat colds. While this may make it seem like Vicks VapoRub has minimal risks, there are some potentially serious concerns you should take note of:
Summary
There is no evidence that using Vicks VapoRub on your feet can helpease a cough. However it can help reduce coughing when applied to the chest or throat. It may even help relieve mild muscle or joint pain when applied to the skin.
Some studies suggest that Vicks VapoRub can help ease nerve-related foot pain, treat cracked heels, and help clear toenail fungus.
Even so, the camphor in Vicks VapoRub is very toxic. Vicks VapoRub should never be used on children under 2 and should never be applied to broken skin, under the nose, near the eyes, or in the nostrils.
A Word From VerywellWhile Vicks VapoRub can help with congestion, aches, and pains, placing Vicks VapoRub on the feet will not help relieve cough symptoms. A few studies have shown that Vicks VapoRub on the feet can help with neuropathic foot pain, toe fungus, and cracked heels, but there is no evidence to support that placing it on the feet will help with cold symptoms.—STEFFINI STALOS, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
While Vicks VapoRub can help with congestion, aches, and pains, placing Vicks VapoRub on the feet will not help relieve cough symptoms. A few studies have shown that Vicks VapoRub on the feet can help with neuropathic foot pain, toe fungus, and cracked heels, but there is no evidence to support that placing it on the feet will help with cold symptoms.—STEFFINI STALOS, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
While Vicks VapoRub can help with congestion, aches, and pains, placing Vicks VapoRub on the feet will not help relieve cough symptoms. A few studies have shown that Vicks VapoRub on the feet can help with neuropathic foot pain, toe fungus, and cracked heels, but there is no evidence to support that placing it on the feet will help with cold symptoms.
—STEFFINI STALOS, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
18 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
DailyMed.Vicks VapoRub (camphor- synthetic, eucalyptus oil, and menthol ointment).
DailyMed.VICKS VAPORUB.
Barkin RL.The pharmacology of topical analgesics.Postgrad Med. 2013;125(4 Suppl 1):7-18. doi:10.1080/00325481.2013.1110566911
Sundstrup E, Jakobsen MD, Brandt M, et al.Acute effect of topical menthol on chronic pain in slaughterhouse workers with carpal tunnel syndrome: triple-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial.Rehabil Res Pract.2014;2014:310913. doi:10.1155/2014/310913
Santhi N, Ramsey D, Phillipson G, Hull D.Efficacy of a topical aromatic rub (Vicks VapoRub) on effects on self-reported and actigraphically assessed aspects of sleep in common cold patients.Open J Respir Dis.2017 May;7(2):83-101. doi:10.4236/ojrd.2017.72009
Smith A, Matthews O.Aromatic ointments for the common cold: what does the science say?.Drugs Context. 2022;11:2022-5-6. Published 2022 Aug 1. doi:10.7573/dic.2022-5-6
National Health Service (UK).Decongestants.
Li Z, Guan Y, Kang T, et al.Camphor attenuates hyperalgesia in neuropathic pain models in mice.J Pain Res.2023;16:785–95. doi:10.2147/JPR.S398607
Cortellini A, Verna L, Cannita K, et al.Topical menthol for treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.Indian J Palliat Care. 2017;23(3):350–2. doi:10.4103/IJPC.IJPC_23_17
Snell M, Klebert M, Önen NF, Hubert S.A novel treatment for onychomycosis in people living with HIV infection: Vicks VapoRub™ is effective and safe.J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care. 2016;27(1):109–13. doi:10.1016/j.jana.2015.10.004
Amercian Academy of Dermatology Association.5 ways to use petroleum jelly for skin care.
Hamishenkar H, Same S, Adibkia K, et al.A comparative histological study on the skin occlusion performance of a cream made of solid lipid nanoparticles and Vaseline.Res Pharm Sci.2015 Sep-Oct;10(5):378387
MedlinePlus.Camphor overdose.
Poison Control.Is Vicks VapoRub Safe?
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
