FOOT RUB COUGH CURE: FACT OR FICTION?

The National Research Council of Canada (also referred to as NRC) has recently learned of an email that is circulating which claims we have proven that Vicks VapoRub™ can be applied to the feet to cure a persistent cough. We would like to take this opportunity to dispel this suggestion.

The e-mail suggests that NRC has conducted research comparing the effectiveness of prescription cough medicines in children to alternative therapies like acupressure. However, our databases indicate that no such studies involving Vicks VapoRub have been conducted at NRC. It is rare for NRC to engage in research into alternate applications of medications.

The email message also refers to NRC incorrectly as the “Canada Research Council.” The proper name of our organization is the National Research Council Canada.
Home remedies, homeopathy and alternative therapies for illnesses are popular areas of interest for Canadians, especially in recent years. Although NRC conducts some research in these areas (NRC conducts research on nutraceuticals and therapeutic attributes of plants), our focus is more frequently on medical and pharmaceutical treatments for illness and disease. Some of our best-known advancements have been in this field, including: the first practical motorized wheelchair, the first artificial pacemaker, the Meningitis-C vaccine, the cobalt bomb and research into food-borne pathogens and water safety, to name a few.

Through these innovations, NRC scientists have improved the quality of life of millions of people around the world. For almost a century, the NRC has been adapting to address new national challenges and priorities. More information can be found on our website at http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.

AT THE MOMENT, my 3 boys ages 6,3 and 1 all have this very annoying persistent cough...and i've succesfully stopped their NIGHTIME coughing by applying the vapor rub (mine is store brand) to the bottoms of their feet..i dunno how or why it works, but it DOES ...it's A blessing in descise... my kids don't even need nighttime nebulizer treatments anymore!! IT's AMAZING!

as long as it works and he can sleep peacefully !!I have a 10 year old boy who was coughing terribly !!! It was a very a constant cough. I tried cough syrup, and the Rx Nebulizer and neither helped with the dry hacking cough. I remembered hearing about the Vicks on the bottoms of the feet so I tried it. Much to my amazement his cough stopped almost immediately and he only coughed a few times over the next 2 hours. It was the best sleep he had in a few days !! This work because the feet absorb oils that other parts of our body can not. Dont totally understand it but I dont care

Vicks vapor rub contains camphor and turpentine oil, both of which can be toxic to children under the age of 3. I do not recommend using vicks products containing camphor or turpentine oil anywhere on a child under 3 years of age. Vicks has a specially formulated rub for babies which does not contain these toxic products. Please be careful and always read suggested uses and warning labels.

My daughter had a night time cough caused by allergies when she was about 6 months old...Infants cannot have VapoRub any where near the nasal passages because it causes the the membranes to swell and cause more breathing complications and could possibly damage the nasal membranes.
But we all know that Vicks VapoRub applied to the chest and nose area of an adult helps to break up congestion and help stop a cough. I think that the fact the VapoRub is applied to the feet of a child AND kept covered with socks gives the child just enough of the aroma to breathe and help soothe the cough without being right under the nasal passages to cause swelling of the membranes....So with all that said, I used this trick on my daughter when she was 6 months old and she didn't cough at night and we were both able to sleep well. Some people say it works others don't. Try it yourself and decide, but use precaution and be smart about it. Don't put your child in danger just to rid a cough.

http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/newsroom/news/2007/cough07-ma_e.html

check this out!