Vicks VapoRub in Nasal Passages

Vicks VapoRub and generic versions may be toxic if applied to certain areas of the body, including inside the nose. When used correctly, it can help relieve cold symptoms.

Vicks VapoRub is a topical ointment that contains the active ingredients:

• menthol
• camphor
• eucalyptus oil

This topical ointment is available over the counter (OTC) and is typically applied to your throat or chest to relieve cold- and flu-related symptoms.

Does Vicks VapoRub (VVR) work and where is it safe to use? Keep reading to find out what current research says.

People typically use VVR and generic balms with the same active ingredients for relief from common cold symptoms and pain. The benefits may include:

• helping you feel as though you are breathing better
• relieving cough due to the common cold
• providing relief from muscle or joint pain
• may help you sleep better with the common cold

According to a 2022 review of research, applying an ointment with the active ingredients of VVR can improve people’s perception of their common cold symptoms, leading to better sleep.

The authors suggest that applying VVR or a similar product to children before bed can relieve nighttime cold symptoms, especially in children who cannot take certain medications.

Similarly, a 2017 study evaluated VVR use and sleep among adults. They found they it may positively affect your perception of how well you sleep with a common cold.

While it isn’t clear whether VVR actually improves sleep, people who took it for cold symptoms before bed reported better quality sleep than those who took a placebo.

These benefits come from VVR’s research-backed active ingredients.

Menthol

VVR is not a decongestant. In other words, it doesn’t actually relieve nasal or chest congestion. However, it might make you feel less congested.

That’s because, when applied to your skin, VVR releases a strong minty odor due to the menthol that’s included in the ointment. Older research from 2013 suggests that inhaling menthol is associated with the perception of easier breathing. This might be due to the cooling sensation you feel when you inhale menthol.

But menthol doesn’t appear to actually improve respiration.

Treatment guidelines for the common cold from 2019 also mention that menthol on its own may improve your perception of easier breathing, though it does not relieve cough.

Camphor

Camphor is also an active ingredient in VVR. It is commonly used in pain-relieving balms and ointments.

It may relieve muscle pain, according to a small 2015 study.

A 2022 study on camphor derivatives suggests that camphor may have antiviral properties. However, more research is needed on its effectiveness.

Eucalyptus oil

Eucalyptus oil, the third active ingredient in VVR, is also associated with pain relief.

A 2021 review of research notes that eucalyptus essential oil may have the following properties:

• antibacterial
• antifungal
• antiviral
• anti-inflammatory
• antioxidant
• wound healing properties

Summary

Vicks VapoRub is not a decongestant. However, the menthol in the ointment might make you feel less congested. Research has shown that both camphor and eucalyptus oil, the other two ingredients in VVR, are associated with pain relief and other benefits.

Studies among both children and adults have shown that VVR may improve sleep quality.

If you have a stuffy nose, using VVR may make you feel as though you can breathe better. However, it does not relieve nasal congestion.

You can apply VVR to the chest and throat area in a thick layer.

But to relieve a stuffy nose, you may find more success with other remedies. OTC decongestant medications may help relieve sinus pressure and improve your breathing.

The most effective way for adults and children over 2 years old to use VVR is to only apply it in a thick layer to the chest or throat area.

It can also be used on muscles and joints as a temporary pain reliever.

You can apply VVR up to three times per day or as directed by a doctor.

The short answer is no. It’s not safe to use VVR inside or around your nose. If you do, it could be absorbed into your body through the mucus membranes lining your nostrils.

VVR contains camphor, which can have toxic effects inside your body. Ingesting camphor is especially dangerous for young children.

Ingesting camphor can cause seizures and death.

The short-term effects of inhaling VVR aren’t fully understood.

Similarly, frequent VVR use could have effects over the long term. A 2016 case study described an 85-year-old woman who developed a rare form of pneumonia after using VVR daily for approximately 50 years.

Again, more research needs to be done to understand the long-term effects of VVR use.

Summary

It’s not safe to use Vicks VapoRub in your nose. It contains camphor, which can have toxic effects if absorbed through the mucus membrane in your nose. Ingesting camphor can cause seizures and death.

It isn’t safe to ingest VVR. You should also avoid getting it in your eyes or applying it to areas where your skin is broken or damaged. In addition, you should avoid heating VVR or adding it to hot water.

VVR isn’t safe for children under 2 years old. Swallowing camphor, an active ingredient in VVR, can cause serious side effects in children, including seizures and death.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, speak to a healthcare professional before using it.

Besides using VVR on your chest or throat, these home remedies may also help ease your congestion symptoms:

• Use a humidifier: A humidifier or vaporizer can quickly reduce pressure, irritation, and mucus buildup in your sinuses by adding moisture to the air.
• Take a warm shower: Warm steam from a shower can help open your airways, providing short-term relief from congestion.
• Use a saline spray or nasal drops: A saltwater solution can help reduce inflammation in the nose. It may also help thin out and flush excess mucus. Saline products are available over the counter.
• Increase your fluid intake: Staying hydrated can reduce mucus buildup in your nose. Almost all liquids can help, but you should avoid drinks that contain caffeine or alcohol.
• Try over-the-counter medication: To relieve congestion, try a decongestant, an antihistamine, or other allergy medication.
• Rest up: It’s important to allow your body to rest if you have a cold. Getting plenty of sleep will help boost your immune system so you can fight off your cold symptoms more effectively.

Congestion caused by a cold typically goes away on its own within a week or so. If your symptoms last for more than 7 days, you may want to follow up with a doctor.

You should seek medical attention if congestion is accompanied by other symptoms, such as:

• a fever greater than 102°F or above (38. 8°C)
• a fever that lasts longer than 5 days
• wheezing or shortness of breath
• severe pain in your throat, head, or sinuses

A fever in an infant under 3 months requires immediate medical attention.

If you suspect you have the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, follow these steps to determine whether you should seek medical attention.

It’s not safe to use Vicks VapoRub inside your nose as it can be absorbed into your body through the mucus membranes lining your nostrils.

VVR contains camphor, which can have toxic effects if absorbed into your body. It can be especially dangerous for children if it’s used inside their nasal passages.

The most effective way for children over 2 years old and adults to use VVR is to only apply it to the chest or throat area. It can also be used on your muscles and joints for temporary pain relief.

Is Vicks VapoRub safe? | Poison Control

What does Vicks VapoRub do and what are the uses of Vicks VapoRub?

Vicks VapoRub is an ointment primarily marketed to temporarily relieve coughing when applied to the chest or neck. Vicks VapoRub contains menthol and camphor, which create a cooling sensation in the nose. It also contains eucalyptus oil, a cough suppressant. When applied to the skin, the ingredients in Vicks VapoRub cause a sensation of cleared nostrils and improved breathing, relieving stuffy noses and other signs and symptoms of nasal congestion. 

In addition to relieving nasal congestion, the ingredients in Vicks VapoRub can also be used to treat other conditions. Menthol reduces the skin’s sensitivity to pain, and Vicks VapoRub can be used as a topical pain reliever (analgesic) for muscle and joint aches. The main ingredients in Vicks VapoRub have antifungal properties and have been studied as a treatment of  toenail fungus, although the product is not FDA-approved as a treatment for this condition. 

What are the side effects of Vicks VapoRub?

Vicks VapoRub may cause redness and irritation when applied to the skin. In rare cases, allergic reactions, including hives or rashes, may occur after use of Vicks VapoRub on the skin. Thermal and chemical burns can occur if heated Vicks VapoRub is applied to the skin. To reduce the risk of burns, do not heat Vicks VapoRub, put it into a microwave, add it to hot water, or use it near open flames. Skin lightening is a rare complication that may occur if Vicks VapoRub is applied to the face. 

Is Vicks VapoRub safe for pregnancy? 

When used as directed, Vicks VapoRub is safe to use during pregnancy. Studies of people who used camphor (an active ingredient in VapoRub) on the skin during pregnancy did not show evidence of fetal harm. However, camphor can cause miscarriage when swallowed. Because of this, pregnant people should wash their hands after using Vicks VapoRub to avoid accidentally swallowing the product. To avoid accidental consumption by nursing infants, this product should not be applied to the chest during lactation.

VapoRub inhalation: Can Vicks hurt your lungs?

While inhaling small amounts of Vicks VapoRub is unlikely to damage the lungs, excessive use of Vicks under the nose is associated with a rare form of pneumonia called lipoid pneumonia. The ointment base in Vicks VapoRub contains a petroleum product (petrolatum). When applied in or under the nose every day for many months or years, petrolatum can travel through nose and lodge into lung tissue, causing lipoid pneumonia. This is more common in very young children and older adults who may not have the ability to protect their airways from the dangerous effects of petrolatum. Symptoms of lipoid pneumonia include cough, chest pain, fever, and chills. These signs and symptoms often disappear within months to a year of stopping use of the product. 

Can you eat Vicks VapoRub?

Vicks VapoRub is not safe to eat. When swallowed, the camphor in Vicks VapoRub can cause nausea,  vomiting, seizures, and death. Small children are at increased risk for toxicity after consumption of camphor-containing products. 

Is Vicks VapoRub dangerous? What to do if Vicks gets in your eye, ear or nose

While Vicks VapoRub is safe when used on the skin and for short durations of time, using too much or eating it can lead to severe toxicity. Application to the face and around the eye can result in eyelid swelling, blisters, and damage to the cornea (the outer layer of the eyeball). At least two people have developed permanent eye damage after accidentally applying Vicks VapoRub into their eyes.  

Vicks VapoRub is flammable and should not be heated. There are two published cases that describe severe eye injuries that occurred after people heated Vicks VapoRub in a microwave oven. In one case, the individual placed the ointment in a glass container, added water, and placed it in the microwave to heat. In the other case, ointment without water was heated. In both cases, the product exploded, and both patients required surgery to repair the damage. 

Vicks VapoRub should not be used in the ear. If Vicks VapoRub gets in your ear, you should immediately rinse the ear with room-temperature tap water. 

What should I do if my child eats Vicks VapoRub? 

If someone develops unexplained or unexpected symptoms after using Vicks VapoRub, get guidance from Poison Control immediately. Help from Poison Control is available at www.poison.org and by phone at 1-800-222-1222. Both options are free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.

Written by:
Jose A. Montanez
PharmD Candidate 2023

Medically reviewed by:
Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD
Medical Toxicologist

Poisoned?

Call


1-800-222-1222


or

HELP ME online

This Really Happened

Case 1: A 3-year-old girl with epilepsy presented to the hospital with a seizure lasting for 9 minutes. Prior to the onset of the seizure, the girl’s mother had rubbed a vaporizing chest rub on the child’s chest, forehead, and back for 10 hours. In addition, the mother had added camphor tablets to a vaporizer and placed the vaporizer in a bowl with water under the girl’s crib. The mother also hung camphor tablets in mesh on crib posts, and spread crushed tablets around the home as a pesticide. After camphor use was discontinued, the child had no further seizures. 

Case 2: A 4-year-old girl ate up to 2 ounces of Vicks VapoRub. She vomited 5 hours later and developed seizures 9 hours after the ingestion. 

Case 3: A 77-year-old woman sustained a severe combined chemical and thermal burn from microwave-heated Vicks VapoRub. The woman had transferred the ointment to a glass bowl and placed it in her microwave. When she removed the dish from the microwave, it exploded in her face. She developed glaucoma and required extensive eye surgery and corneal transplantation.

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For More Information

Vicks VapoRub: An effective nasal decongestant? (Mayo Clinic)

Many People Swear by Vicks VapoRub. Is the Love Justified? (Consumer Reports)

References

Kilaru H, Prasad S, Radha S, Nallagonda R, Kilaru SC, Nandury EC. Nasal application of petrolatum ointment a silent cause of exogenous lipoid pneumonia: Successfully treated with prednisolone. Respiratory Medicine Case Reports. 2017;22:98-100. doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2017.07.003 

Rabl W, Katzgraber F, Steinlechner M. Camphor ingestion for abortion (case report). Forensic Sci Int. 1997 Sep 19;89(1-2):137-40.

Phelan WJ 3rd. Camphor poisoning: over-the-counter dangers. Pediatrics. 1976 Mar;57(3):428-31. 

Khine H, Weiss D, Graber N, Hoffman RS, Esteban-Cruciani N, Avner JR. A cluster of children with seizures caused by camphor poisoning. Pediatrics. 2009 May;123(5):1269-72. 

Dosoky NS, Setzer WN. Maternal Reproductive Toxicity of Some Essential Oils and Their Constituents. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Feb 27;22(5):2380.

Patel VM, Schwartz RA, Lambert WC. Safety of topical dermatologic medications in pregnancy. J Dugs in Dermatology. 2016;15(7):830-834.

Santhi, Nayantara & Ramsey, David & Phillipson, Gill & Hull, David & Revell, Victoria & Dijk, Derk-Jan. (2017). Efficacy of a Topical Aromatic Rub (Vicks VapoRub ® ) on Effects on Self-Reported and Actigraphically Assessed Aspects of Sleep in Common Cold Patients. Open Journal of Respiratory Diseases. 7. 83-101. 10.4236/ojrd.2017.72009.

Snell, Mariea & Klebert, Michael & Nur, Ferdinal & Hubert, Sara. (2015). A Novel Treatment for Onychomycosis in People Living With HIV Infection: Vicks VapoRub™ is Effective and Safe. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. 27. 10.1016/j.jana.2015.10.004.

Farooqui MO, Ochani RK. VapoRub – An economical alternate – Letter to the Editor. J Pak Med Assoc. 2018 Oct;68(10):1551.

Derby R, Rohal P, Jackson C, Beutler A, Olsen C. Novel treatment of onychomycosis using over-the-counter mentholated ointment: a clinical case series. J Am Board Fam Med. 2011 Jan-Feb;24(1):69-74.

Boyse KE, Zirwas MJ. Chemical Leukoderma Associated with Vicks VapoRub. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2008 Nov;1(4):34-5.

Jaiwal A. Vick’s VapoRub induced dermo kerato conjunctivitis–a case report. Indian J Ophthalmol. 1989 Jul-Sep;37(3):154.

Sahay P, Saluja G, Maharana PK, Titiyal JS. Topical ayurvedic ointment-induced chemical injury presenting as bilateral acute keratitis. BMJ Case Rep. 2017 Aug

Ruha AM, Graeme KA, Field A. Late seizure following ingestion of Vicks VapoRub. Acad Emerg Med. 2003 Jun;10(6):691.

Smith A, Matthews O. Aromatic ointments for the common cold: what does the science say? Drugs Context. 2022 Aug 1;11:2022-5-6.

Subramanian S, Kherdekar SS, Babu PG, Christianson CS. Lipoid pneumonia with Cryptococcus neoformans colonisation. Thorax. 1982 Apr;37(4):319-20.

Fung AE, Oxford KW. Microwave-superheated Vics Vapo Rub: an ocular public health danger. Am J Ophthalmol. 2004 Feb;137(2):379-80.

Gagnon MR, Walter KA. Ocular surface injury from a microwave superheated liquid. Cornea. 2004 Mar;23(2):204-6.

Al Aboud K. The founder of Vicks: Lunsford Richardson (1854-1919). Skinmed. 2010 Mar-Apr;8(2):100-1.

Noiles K, Pratt M. Contact dermatitis to Vicks VapoRub. Dermatitis. 2010 May-Jun;21(3):167-9.

Poisoned?

Call


1-800-222-1222


or

HELP ME online

This Really Happened

Case 1: A 3-year-old girl with epilepsy presented to the hospital with a seizure lasting for 9 minutes. Prior to the onset of the seizure, the girl’s mother had rubbed a vaporizing chest rub on the child’s chest, forehead, and back for 10 hours. In addition, the mother had added camphor tablets to a vaporizer and placed the vaporizer in a bowl with water under the girl’s crib. The mother also hung camphor tablets in mesh on crib posts, and spread crushed tablets around the home as a pesticide. After camphor use was discontinued, the child had no further seizures. 

Case 2: A 4-year-old girl ate up to 2 ounces of Vicks VapoRub. She vomited 5 hours later and developed seizures 9 hours after the ingestion. 

Case 3: A 77-year-old woman sustained a severe combined chemical and thermal burn from microwave-heated Vicks VapoRub. The woman had transferred the ointment to a glass bowl and placed it in her microwave. When she removed the dish from the microwave, it exploded in her face. She developed glaucoma and required extensive eye surgery and corneal transplantation.

VICKS Nasal Spray Viks Active Sineks – “When the nose does not breathe, and the aromas of the world do not please – Viks Sinex with aloe comes to my aid”

Nasal congestion is a common thing in the cold season. And when drops with saline solutions can no longer cope, a nasal spray with aloe and oxymetazoline comes to the rescue

Buy Vicks Nasal Spray at any pharmacy

Price at the time of purchase 320₽

Packaging: spray is in a cardboard box. Inside there is instructions for use

Volume: 15ml

Barcode

Available without a doctor’s prescription

Composition:

0007 :

Active substance : oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.05 g

Excipients : sorbitol (70% aqueous solution) 5, 0 g, sodium citrate dihydrate 0.875 g, tyloxapol 0.7 g, chlorhexidine bigluconate (20% solution) 0. 27 g, anhydrous citric acid 0.2 g, aloe vera 0.1 g, benzalkonium chloride (50% solution) 0.04 g, levomenthol 0.015 g, acesulfame potassium 0.015 g, cineol 0.013 g, L-carvone 0.01 g, disodium edetate 0.01 g, sodium hydroxide (0.1 M solution) to pH 5.4, distilled water to 100 ml.

How to use:

Intranasal. Adults and children over 10 years old – 1-2 injections in each nasal passage, maximum 2-3 times a day.

Children from 6 to 10 years old – 1 spray in each nasal passage maximum 2-3 times a day.

Shelf life: 3 years

Spray bottle made entirely of plastic. The spray dispenser is closed with a transparent cap.

There is an expiration date on the label.

Usually, at the first sign of a runny nose, I use drops or sprays based on sea water (aquamarine, aqualor), and if they do not cope, then I use drops with medicinal abilities. So in the next cold, my husband bought me viks synex with aloe.

My nose was stuffed up tightly: I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t smell it. I did one injection into each nasopharynx. The spray is sprayed gently – it does not squirt, but it seems to scatter into small particles.

Eucalyptus felt inside the nose. He did not burn the nasal cavity, but simply contributed to the elimination of congestion, and after 3-5 minutes the nose began to breathe.

The spray does not dry out (as “tizin” did for me), but as for me, on the contrary, it moisturizes the nasal cavity without forming a shorter inside.

The first time I used the spray in the morning and the effect was enough for me for about 8-9 hours. The nose breathed and the ability to recognize aromas returned. Before going to bed, I dripped again so as not to choke at night from snot, not to breathe through my nose and not to wake up from my own snoring.

In the morning I still had a runny nose, but only one nasopharynx was completely stuffed up, the other was breathing calmly. After using the Vicks spray, freedom from a runny nose was enough for me for the whole day.

On the third day of treatment, I woke up without a runny nose, but decided to puff the spray anyway just in case. By evening, the runny nose had not returned.

In total, it took me 2 days to treat a cold. With the next cold, the spray helped to cope with congestion in 3 days.

My consumption is very economical. Considering that the package says 240 doses in one bottle, and it takes me 3 days (2 times a day) to eliminate a runny nose, which corresponds to 12 doses, it turns out that 1 bottle is enough for me for about 20 colds.

I want to note that I have no medical education and the review is based solely on my personal experience and opinion . That’s why it’s better

Consult your doctor before use

Using this spray for the second year and for me it is one of the best remedies in the fight against runny nose and nasal congestion:

• Quickly eliminates congestion
• Does not dry the mucous membranes
• The effect is enough for 8-12 hours
• It takes 2-3 hours days
• Economical in use

I did not find any cons for myself.

That’s all for me. Peace and goodness to all

Vicks natural remedy for colds and coughs in pharmacies

Soin-et-nature.com, your ARS Certified Organic Pharmacy for Buying Vicks Medicines at Online, offers you to order all links at a low price and in complete safety. Share your opinion about your experience of buying Vicks in your bio pharmacy online with our partner’s verified reviews.

No medicines will be shipped outside of France. Available only in the pharmacy of Perpignan (France).

Buy Vicks at the best price from your authorized pharmacy

ARS online.

Vicks was first created in the United States in a pharmacy in the 1890s by a pharmacist named Lunsford Richardson. Since then, Vicks has helped millions of people fight cold and flu symptoms across five continents. Through his experience, he has become the best-selling brand of cold and cough remedies.

VICKS range of drugs and medical devices for the natural treatment of respiratory diseases includes VICKS VAPORUB ointment, VICKS INHALATOR, impregnated inhalation pad by fumigation, VICKS 0.133% HONEY for dry cough for adults, syrup, VICKS DRY COUGH DEXTROMETHORPHANE
VICKS DRY COUGH DEXTROMETHORPHANE 7.33 mg ADULTS HONEY, lozenges, VICKS THORACAL SYRUP MEDICINE VICKS THORACAL SYRUP 0.15%, syrup, VICKS EXPECTORANT MEDICINE VICKS EXPECTORANT guaifenesin 1.33% MEDICINAL MEDICINE VICKS, V x MEDICINAL Vicks, MEDICINAL BAKE Vicks, MEDICINAL BAKE VICKS MEDICAL DEVICE VICKS SEA WATER CLOGGED NOSE MEDICAL DEVICE VICKS SEA WATER CLOGGED NOSE WDRA WATERIC NOSE NOSE WDRA WD RA VICKS PRESCRIBING SPRAY WDRIC DEVICE VICKS MEDICAL DEVICE FOR CHILDREN Isotonic nasal spray.

Vicks range

• Vicks Vaporub ointment:

Additional treatment with decongestants for common respiratory problems (colds, coughs, simple bronchitis).

• Vicks inhales :

• Breast Vicks : 9012 2

Vicks Pectoral Syrup for dry cough 0.15%. Short-term treatment of dry cough and irritating cough in adults (from 15 years of age).

• Expectorant Vicks :

In the case of a fatty cough, the cough is a natural defense necessary for the evacuation of bronchial secretions. Then you can move on to expectorants.

(Source: https://www.gamme-vicks.fr/fr-fr )

How to use Vicks correctly

• Vicks ointment

Ointment can be used either by application to the chest or neck, or by inhalation after dissolving in a basin of hot water.

Dermal:

Inhalation:

0

Consume Vicks Sugar Free Menthol Candy whenever you feel like it’s a classic treat.

• vicks balms

Gently massage one teaspoon once or twice daily onto chest, neck and upper back.

Precautions for using the Vicks Vaporub line

Vicksaporub is used to relieve breathing in respiratory conditions, with or without cough.

This ointment contains flammable volatile substances: after application, keep away from a flame or a hot object (cigarette).

Medicines containing terpenes (camphor, levomenthol) in very rare cases can cause serious accidents in young children (convulsions, impaired consciousness, respiratory arrest). Therefore, they are contraindicated in children under 6 years of age.

Increased risk of accidents due to terpenes:

• with repeated or prolonged use (do not apply simultaneously on the back and chest),

• with skin damage (burn, wound, eczema …).

If there is no improvement after 3 days, consult your doctor in case of fever.

Pharmacist’s advice

• Remember to wash your hands after application to avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes.