COVID-19 Vaccine, Testing, Resources & Visitor Policy Updates
Not Feeling Well? Check Your Symptoms with the New Online Symptom Checker.
  • MYCHART LOGIN PAY MY BILL FIND A DOCTOR FIND A LOCATION PATIENTS & VISITORS MEDICAL SERVICES COMMUNITY OUTREACH RESOURCES CAREERS CONTACT US
  • Patients & Visitors
  • Medical Services
  • Community Outreach
  • Resources
  • Careers
MYCHART LOGIN PAY MY BILL FIND A DOCTOR FIND A LOCATION PATIENTS & VISITORS MEDICAL SERVICES COMMUNITY OUTREACH RESOURCES CAREERS CONTACT US
  • Homepage
  • HealthLibrary
  • FAQ
Menu
  • Healthy Lifestyle
  • Diseases & Conditions
  • First Aid
  • Symptoms
  • Tests & Procedures
  • Videos
  • Definitions
  • FAQs

Vicks VapoRub: An effective nasal decongestant?

When I had a cold as a child, my mother put a little Vicks VapoRub under my nose to help me breathe more easily. Does this really work?

Updated: 2021-12-07


Answer Section

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. By contrast, decongestant tablets and nasal sprays sold over-the-counter may narrow blood vessels in your nose's lining, leading to reduced swelling in your nasal passages.

VapoRub has drawbacks in addition to its ineffectiveness as a nasal decongestant. It's unsafe for any use in children under 2 years old. In adults and children age 2 and older, use it only on the neck and chest.

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. That's why you should never put VapoRub in or around the nostrils — especially a small child's nostrils. And if VapoRub gets in your eye, it can injure your cornea.


Content from Mayo Clinic
© 1998-2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research(MFMER). All rights reserved. Terms of Use
About St. Elizabeth
  • About Us
  • Associate Log In
  • Associate Intranet
  • Careers
  • For Health Professionals
  • Foundation
  • St. Elizabeth Physicians
  • Learn More
How Can We Help?
  • Find a Location
  • Find a Provider
  • Frequently Called Numbers
  • Health Library
  • Pay My Bill
  • Pagar Su Factura
  • Site Map
Legal
  • Disclaimer/HIPAA
  • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
  • © 2019 St. Elizabeth Healthcare.
  • All rights reserved. St. Elizabeth Healthcare is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation serving the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region. Tax identification #610445850
Help Us Continue To Provide Quality Care
  • Donate
  • Human Resources
  • Physician Opportunities
  • Volunteer
Visit St. Elizabeth Physicians
Healthy
Headlines
  • Helping you live a better life.
  • View Health Tips
Social
About St. Elizabeth
About Us
Associate Log In
Associate Intranet
Careers
For Health Professionals
Foundation & Donations
Volunteers
Resources
CareGram
Find a Location
Find a Provider
Frequently Called Numbers
MyChart Login
Pay My Bill
Legal
Disclaimer/HIPAA
Patient Rights and Responsibilities
Human Resources
© 2022 St. Elizabeth Healthcare. All rights reserved. St. Elizabeth Healthcare is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation serving the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region. Tax identification #610445850