Vicks VapoRub – A Timeless Classic to Help Relieve Colds and Coughs

When I was a young girl and I would have a bad cold my mom used to slather on this powerful scented medication on my chest. It was Vicks VapoRub. I remember how initially I wasn’t keen on the smell or the tingly feeling it left on my skin. The more my mom had me use it the more I started to really like it. Now I actually really like the scent of Menthol. Whenever I smell Menthol or Eucalyptus I always think of Vicks.

As a teen and young adult I didn’t use Vicks VapoRub like I did when I was younger. I didn’t start to use it again until I married my husband back in 1996. My husband would slather on the Vicks VapoRub the moment he had a sniffle and still does so today. In fact he put some on late last night (or shall I say early this morning). He woke up around 1:30 AM (he woke me up by accident too) because he was stuffy. I listened to him sniff for about a half hour. Then he got up, went into the bathroom for a few minutes, then came and lied back down. The moment he walked near the bed I could smell the Vicks VapoRub. As per my husband he fell back to sleep about a half hour later (I fell asleep before him).

Vicks VapoRub has been around for over a hundred years. There is a good reason for that. It’s because the VapoRub REALL works!

As a mom I have been using Vicks VapoRub on my kids for as long as I can remember. The first sign of a cold I usually apply the VapoRub to their chest and neck to relieve their coughs and congestion. In the beginning they were not fond of the feeling or the scent, just like me when I was a child. They quickly learned to appreciate its effectiveness and got past the scent and feeling too.

You might be wondering why I’m writing about Vicks VapoRub now when Spring is finally here. You might ASSUME that cold season is over. It’s not. You can catch a cold year round. Two years ago my husband and I both came down with the flu in June! You might be less likely to catch a cold in the warmer weather months, but it can still happen. Vicks VapoRub can also help to alleviate your sinus if you suffer from seasonal and non-seasonal allergies too.

Vicks VapoRub is not just for colds and congestion. There are other uses for Vicks VapoRub too. My husband likes to put a little bit of the VapoRub on his temples. He said it helps with his headaches (he gets a lot of headaches – including migraines). It doesn’t help with the migraines but he tells me that they help with the less painful headaches. I haven’t never tried the VapoRub for headache relief. I usually take an asprin or a short nap and I’m fine.

I wonder if the scent of the VapoRub helps with headaches too, especially stress related headaches. The scent of the VapoRub brings back memories of my childhood (as it does for my husband too). Just like with “comfort foods” I think it’s possible that the scent makes you feel a bit calmer and more relaxed, releasing the stress that might be causing the headache. That is just my thought. I’m certainly not a scientist.

My husband and I both use VapoRub for sore muscles. It glides on your skin smoothly making it easy to rub sore muscles. Vicks VapoRub contains Camphor which is a topical pain reliever.

People across the globe appreciate the value and effectiveness of Vicks VapoRub. The product can be found in 70 countries world wide.

The ingredients in Vicks VapoRub, most especially Camphor, Menthol and Eucalyptus has been used for centuries by people around the globe for medicinal purposes. Menthol has been used for hundreds of years in Asia to treat respiratory diseases.

Did you know the Vicks VapoRub was originally called Vicks Croup and Pneumonia Salve by the its creator Lunsford Richardson back in the 1890’s? I don’t know if I’d want to use it if it had that name still attached to it. LOL! Pneumonia Salve? That sounds pretty serious. And Croup? Is that even still around?

The salve gained national notoriety after the Spanish Flu hit the United States. From that point on it’s been a household staple. In 1985 Vicks was purchased by Procter & Gamble (P&G). They have since expanded the product line and put a lot of scientific research into the common cold and ways to relieve it.

I recently was told by a friend that they use Vicks VapoRub on their feet to help relieve their coughs. I never heard of that before. I did some research and learned that some people do use Vicks on the feet at night to help relieve coughs (they put socks on over their feet to protect their sheets at night). I could not find any scientific evidence to back that claim up but I’d be willing to give it a try the next time I need relief from a cold or allergy.

Here are some interesting facts about colds and coughs.

– Children average 2-9 colds per year. Adults average 2-4. If your child attends day care the average increases to 12+ colds per year. 

– Up to 60% of colds are transmitted by touching contaminated surfaces. Ewwww!!!! This is why it’s so important to make sure you and your family washes their hands and disinfect things whenever possible.

– During the course of a life time the average person would have suffered with a cold or cough for about 2 1/2 years in total. At least one year of that people are unable or unfit to attend work. Wow! This just blows my mind. That is a lot of missed work and school days.

– The common cold is caused by over 200 different viruses. Yikes! That is a scary thought!

– The incidences of common cold decrease as you get older. That is because you have built up the antibodies to fight off many of the viruses that cause the cold. Well at least there is a bright side to getting older. Ha Ha.

– Even if you eat right, exercise and are generally in great health you can still catch a cold or cough. Some people are just more likely to catch colds then others. It’s a genetic thing.

Vicks VapoRub can also provide your child with your special loving touch that can actually make them feel better. By massaging the Vicks VapoRub on your child you are not only providing them with cold and cough relief but you are also providing them with a powerful bonding touch. Touch is very important, especially to babies and children. It provides comfort to a child and helps to reduce stress and anxiety.

Vicks VapoRub is a timeless classic that will never go out of style. Millions of people world wide know how powerful the VapoRub is when fighting coughs and colds.

Vicks VapoRub is available in several different varieties (classic, greaseless, baby formula, lemon scented…) and can be found in most grocery stores, convenient stores, drug stores and places like Walmart, Target and Amazon.

To learn more about Vicks VapoRub I recommend joining their Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/VicksVapoRubUS.There you will learn a lot more about the benefits and uses of Vicks VapoRub, learn some interesting tid bits and tips about colds and coughs, interact with the people behind Vicks VapoRub, ask questions (Yes! They do reply to the questions/comments too!). You can also interact with other satisfied Vicks VapoRub users and share ideas and tips with them too.

Kimberly

*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation, although I did receive and iPad in order to experience the new VapoRub Facebook page and the power of touch. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.