Does Vicks cause lung damage?

Long story short, the petrolatum base of VapoRub, when inhaled, can travel to the lungs, where it collects and causes ground-glass opacities — a type of damage also associated with COVID-19.

How does Vicks affect your lungs?

Can Vicks hurt your lungs? Long-term misuse of petroleum-based oils like Vicks VapoRub can cause a rare form of pneumonia called exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) when applied to the nose or nostrils.

Can Vicks causes respiratory problems?

Rubin and colleagues suggest that Vicks VapoRub may stimulate the production of mucus and inflame the airways, which can severely affect breathing in infants and toddlers because their airways are narrow.

Can Vicks cause lung inflammation?

The salve is widely used to relieve symptoms of colds and congestion, but there are few data supporting an actual clinical benefit, according to Rubin. Vicks has been reported to cause inflammation in the eyes, mental status changes, lung inflammation, liver damage, constriction of airways and allergic reactions.

Can Vicks be harmful?

Swallowing a few teaspoons of camphor — one of the main ingredients in VapoRub and other topical medications, such as Campho-Phenique and Bengay — can cause deadly poisoning in toddlers. Topical camphor absorbed through mucous membranes or broken skin also can be toxic.

What Vicks VapoRub Can Do For Your Sinuses, Airway, Chest

Is it OK to use Vicks everyday?

A: For cough suppression, Vicks VapoRub may be used up to 3 times daily or as directed by your doctor. Simply rub a thick layer on your chest and throat. For muscle/joint minor aches and pains, Vicks VapoRub may be applied to the affected area not more than 3 to 4 times daily.

What happens if you inhale too much Vicks?

However, if too much camphor is swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin, it can poison young children, causing vomiting, seizures, respiratory distress, coma, or death. In addition, vaporub should ONLY be used as directed: Applied only to the chest, back, or throat; not to the nostrils or on open wounds.

Can Vicks cause pneumonia?

Unfortunately, besides being extremely uncomfortable, using VapoRub in your nostrils puts you at risk of developing an extremely ominous-sounding illness called exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP), which results from the aspiration or inhalation of fat-like material of animal, vegetable or mineral origin.

Can Vicks cause lipoid pneumonia?

In this case report we highlight Exogenous Lipoid Pneumonia (ELP), an uncommon condition that results from accumulation of exogenous lipids in the alveoli, as an adverse side effect of long-term Vicks VapoRub use.

Why does putting Vicks on your feet stop coughing?

Using Vicks VapoRub on Your Feet

A popular theory you may have seen online says VapoRub may stimulate the nerves in your feet. According to the theory, this stimulation is passed up the spinal cord to the medulla oblongata in the brain. The medulla oblongata is the part of your brain that regulates coughing.

What are the side effects of Vicks VapoRub?

What causes inflammation of the lungs?

Lung inflammation can happen from infectious causes, such as pneumonia caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses, and noninfectious causes, such as pneumonitis, or a type of allergic reaction. This inflammation can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-standing).

Can Vicks make a cough worse?

Dr. Rubin says the ingredients in Vicks can be irritants, causing the body to produce more mucus to protect the airway, and infants and young children have airways that are much narrower than those of adults, so any increase in mucus or inflammation can narrow them more severely.

Why does Vicks make it easier to breathe?

The cooling effect from VapoRub explains how its active ingredients ease the feeling of congestion, Bhattacharyya says. They “can help by creating the sensation that more air is flowing into your body when you breathe,” he says, adding that this is also how some cough drops such as Halls work.

Can you use too much Vicks VapoSteam?

Do not use 2 doses at the same time or extra doses. Many times Vicks VapoSteam (camphor inhalation liquid) is used on an as needed basis. Do not use more often than told by the doctor.

Is Vicks VapoRub good for bronchitis?

To help suppress the cough associated with bronchitis, rub on a topical cough suppressant ointment such as Vicks VapoRub, suggests Rachel Schreiber, MD.

Is VapoRub good for pneumonia?

The doctor was surprised and maybe amused when I mentioned this home remedy. A. We are impressed that Vicks VapoRub on the soles of the feet actually helped a serious cough that signaled pneumonia. We do NOT recommend toughing it out with a home remedy as long as your hubby did.

Can lipoid pneumonia be cured?

Once diagnosed, lipoid pneumonia is treatable. Though there are few long-term studies of lipoid pneumonia, case studies suggest that the outlook for lipoid pneumonia is good. The outlook is also affected by overall lung health and the presence of other chronic lung diseases.

Is Steam inhalation with Vicks VapoRub?

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.

Does Vicks cause more mucus?

Using lab specimens from ferrets, whose respiratory systems are similar to infants and young kids, the Wake Forest researchers found that Vicks VapoRub increased mucus secretion by about 60 percent.

Is Vicks good for cough?

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. Although Vicks products cannot cure a cough, they can help stop constant coughing.

Where do you put Vicks on a stuffy nose?

For example, place your index fingers on both sides of your nose where the nose and cheek meet (with one finger on each side), and apply moderate pressure for 2 to 3 minutes. You can also use your index fingers to apply pressure on the bridge of your nose, right between your eyebrows; hold for 2 to 3 minutes.

How many times can you use Vicks Vapor Inhaler?

It is very easy to use. You can use it every two hours.

Is it harmful to put Vicks in your nose?

The bottom line. 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.

Can I put Vicks around my nose?

Topical camphor absorbed through mucous membranes or broken skin also can be toxic. That's why you should never put VapoRub in or around the nostrils — especially a small child's nostrils.