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Vicks on soles of feet

(82 Posts)
JenRen56 Mon 06-Mar-17 10:41:27

Hi, I'm sorry if this question has been asked previously but can anyone tell me why it's beneficial to put Vicks on the sole of your feet at night when you heave a cold? Does it work? After spending 8 days in hospital I came home and a day later I went down with a cold, I know my resistance is lowered than usual but I'm struggling to get rid of it. Many thanks in advance.

lizzypopbottle Tue 07-Mar-17 17:07:36

I doubt if anything could be absorbed through the soles of my feet! They are hard and dry from doing karate in bare feet on supposedly clean floors. They may look clean but bare feet will always find the most minute bit of grit and are black as the ace of spades after 90 minutes training! I might try vick/vicks as a softener though. Good tip! ?

amt101 Tue 07-Mar-17 16:42:56

Vicks on your feet is fantastic for plantar fasciitis. I had it for a couple of years on and off and then read about Vicks. Never had it again.

Gaggi3 Tue 07-Mar-17 16:35:48

Friend years ago used Vick on her feet for chilblains - don't suppose anyone has those any more.

chicken Tue 07-Mar-17 16:33:55

I'm certainly going to try this for fungal nail treatment---much cheaper than the liquid stuff which all seem to cost around £20 a pop!

Samie Tue 07-Mar-17 15:29:08

Yes rubbing/massaging vick into the soles of your feet really helps a cough at bedtime - after a few minutes you feel your feet become lovely and warm and after that the coughing will stop - usually.
Might be helpful for people with cold feet in bed.
Believe me it's worth buying a pot.

Jalima Tue 07-Mar-17 15:18:20

Talullah I wonder if it is anything to do with the reflexology points on the feet?

Direne3 Tue 07-Mar-17 15:00:56

And I remember this jar from my childhood too.

Direne3 Tue 07-Mar-17 14:58:37

JoyBloggs - this what you were trying to send? (I had problems too but managed to copy it into my Pictures file first).

Tallulah57 Tue 07-Mar-17 14:36:01

Apparently, it's supposed to be the fastest way to the lungs.

JoyBloggs Tue 07-Mar-17 14:23:51

Oh dear, don't know what went wrong there! It should have been a link to a picture of an ancient bottle of VICK! blush Honestly... but I know nobody will believe me! grin

Emelle19 Tue 07-Mar-17 14:20:31

Should have read grin !!

Emelle19 Tue 07-Mar-17 14:18:58

I eat raw garlic and no germs dare come near me [grinl It will soon see off a cold!

JoyBloggs Tue 07-Mar-17 14:16:41

Maybe the Vick/Vicks thing just depends how old you are! This is the stuff I remember having rubbed on me as a child. Sadly too late to check with Mum...

www.google.co.uk/search?q=vick&client=tablet-android-samsung&hl=en-GB&prmd=niv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-1urAx8TSAhUD8WMKHYdlB3YQ_AUICCgC&biw=1280&bih=800#hl=en-GB&tbm=isch&q=vick+original+jar&*&imgrc=lG6k2wU2X7FrMM:

Kim19 Tue 07-Mar-17 13:23:06

Yep, I've tried this with the white cotton socks and the result was great. Nope, I certainly can't prove the cure wouldn't have happened without it but historically that hasn't been the case with my colds and awful chronic coughing. Now I wouldn't consider not following the procedure. Clean socks every night with liberal foot spreading and the max I've ever needed has been three nights so far. I swapped the V brand for Boots own generic which is even cheaper. My philosophy when a sceptic was 'can't do any harm to try' and I've never looked back. Somebody told me there's a tie-in to reflexology. No idea..........

dianetheartist Tue 07-Mar-17 13:07:06

It defiantly helps with a chesty couch at night--but always stick a pair of socks on over it.
I believe that it tracks up through the body to the lungs somehow! Same as if you put garlic on the bottom of your feet and cover --your breath will smell soon after...
I think Vick is the best option myself LOL...

sue01 Tue 07-Mar-17 12:01:37

Don't believe this - I was only writing about this very subject to a friend this morning !!

I went to the Podiatrist last week and we were talking about foot infections. She said she tells people to use Vick for fungal nail infections and athletes foot.

Is there nothing this stuff can't do - and only £4 a jar too !!

JenRen56 Tue 07-Mar-17 11:57:06

Thanks everyone, I have been putting the product on my feet and my cold is much better today. I just now to build my strength up as I was hoping to go back to work to the job I love next Tuesday - a doctors receptionist at my local surgery, but the doctors did warn me that I might need more than two weeks off to recover from such a huge infection.

POGS Tue 07-Mar-17 11:22:47

Vick/Vicks?

My 'understanding' is the products have always been known as 'Vicks' but the company was registered under 'Vick'. Happy to be corrected!

vicks.com/en-us/vicks-history

1890'S

VICKS® CROUP AND PNEUMONIA SALVE
Lunsford Richardson, a pharmacist in Greensboro, North Carolina, creates and sells 21 home remedies under the “Vicks” name in the 1890s. Of the 21 home remedies, the best-selling version by far is the Vicks Croup and Pneumonia Salve.

The salve’s ingredients include menthol, a new and little-known Japanese ingredient. When the ointment is rubbed onto a person’s chest, body heat vaporizes the menthol, releasing soothing, medicated vapors for hours."

The company was called 'The Vick Chemical Co.' 'Vick Family Remedies Company'.

Maybe that is why some people refer to it differently ?

HannahLoisLuke Tue 07-Mar-17 11:20:57

I have an ancient jar of Vick Vapour Rub but thought I'd check the name online. It is indeed now called Vicks VapoRub. Don't know when it changed but I need to buy a new jar so I can try it on my feet when I have a cold.

chrislou Tue 07-Mar-17 11:16:41

Yes it does work, a tip giving me by a chiropodist. also try it on fungal problems with nails, try and get under the nail if possible. I can't remember why it was said to be successful but seem to remember it was something to do with fungicide and being antiseptic

starlily106 Tue 07-Mar-17 11:14:02

My mum used to give us a teaspoonful of Vick with sugar on it to eat whenever we had a cold or sore throat. It wasn't until I was an adult that I read on the jar that it was not to be swallowed.and not put into nostrils, which was another thing she did!

Ana Tue 07-Mar-17 11:11:42

(oh dear, that was supposed to be a link to 12 unusual uses for Vicks VapoRub, but it'll be there somewhere...)

Ana Tue 07-Mar-17 11:09:29

It's called Vicks VapoRub these days. I can't find any reference to it ever being known as 'Vick'.

www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&hl=en-GB&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ACAW_enGB402GB402&q=vicks+vapor+rub

Maggieanne Tue 07-Mar-17 11:09:27

I used to rub it on my sons chest and they always got the giggles because it was like being tickled, but in a nice way.

Buddly Tue 07-Mar-17 11:06:52

Don't know about coughs and colds but would it be any good for my cold feet? Might warm them up. Must try it grin