4 year old granddaughter is spending the night with us. DIL said she has a cough and to slather Vicks on the bottom of her feet and put socks on her before she goes to bed. Supposedly it's absorbed faster than putting on her chest. Have you ever heard of this?

I haven't heard of it, but that doesn't mean it's not a well known use of this...but...part of the benefit of Vicks is that the vapors are breathed in and help clear up congestion...unless she sleeps with her feet near her head I'm not sure how she'd get this benefit.

That's what my nieces and my dil do also. It baffles me, but it does seem to work.

I never heard of that either. I'm an RN and it makes no sense to me.
I just checked Snopes. There's some back and forth about it.
I'm going to try it b/c I have bronchitis and I've been coughing every night. It won't hurt, but not sure about little ones.

I have heard of it but also that the vicks on the chest can lead to more lung issues. It even has a warning on the label. It may be safer so to say?? Not sure but I have heard of this. Google vicks uses should come up with lots of interesting stuff!

I think it is hillarious this post is on the board. I am dealing with some upper respiratory stuff today and my boss told me to go home tonight and put vicks and socks on my feet. She says her Grandmother used this remedy all the time.

:-)
Leslie

I've heard of it... and it does seem to work.. but it goes against the WAY Vicks works.. via vapors...

I have heard of it and I use mentholatum on my chest because Vicks is so strong.

There is cherry flavored Vicks that is not as strong for children. I have heard about the vicks on the feet with socks. With a cough I am ready to try about anything.

I have done this on myself and my son (when he was younger) and it worked for us.

I have done this with my son. He cannot stand it on his chest or anywhere else on his body. I slather it on really thick and put the socks on over it.

The smell still comes through the socks, so I think that helps, as well. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't seem to matter. But, overall, it doesn't hurt.

My son has asthma and I was told to do this for his cough too! It really works. :)

Yes...a friend of mine does that all the time when she gets sick...she swears by it

Yes, I do this all the time and is an old old remedy and does work, after the bath or shower put vicks on feet and put white socks on

I do it all the time to help me breathe through allergies and asthma. It really works.

Works for me!

My daughter does this with everyone in their family. She swears it works. I think it might be worth a try.

THIS ACTUALLY WORKS TO STOP THE COUGHING.
old old remedy

I remember that's how my mom would "dope" us up as a child.

My little hillbilly Grandma used to warm slices of onions with sugar in an iron skillet and wrap them around the bottom of my feet when I had a cold. And some mustard mix on warm flannel on my chest. Either it worked or it was so bad, I was rarely ill as
a child.

I have put it on my feet with sock forever. Works fine for me. I thought it was an old wives tale. But then I love to smell it too so put some under my nose. My gks get this when at my house and sick, they tell their mommy she is doin it wrong. LOL.

Yes, I use that all the time, after my shower, put vicks vapor rub on bottom of feet and put white socks on, sure does help and is an old old time remedy and does work

clears me right up and gets rid of cough and cold

Funny thing that you mentioned this...a couple of weeks ago we had our small group bible study at our house. Some how the conversation got around to "home-made cures". One of the men in the group said that he always puts Vicks Vapor Rub on the bottom of his feet with warm socks when he has a cough. He claims it clears up the cough really fast. That's the first I had heard of this until your posting. All I know about Vicks is that when I was sick as a little girl & my mom rubbed Vicks on my chest it felt so good and I felt so loved.

I have heard this on many boards and everybody that tries it swears by it. I haven't had the need to try, but if it does arise I will try it.

I'm a Vicks addict :lol: :lol: I'm an under/in the nose type, but know of several people who do the foot /sock thing. that probably works good for little kids, as you sure don't want them to get it in their eyes. You can also use it in a steam vaporizer, the moisture helps alot. my mom used to put it on our necks and then wrap a moist rag over it and put us to bed. Course she also used to give us "whiskey water" :shock: :shock: I think it was hot tea with honey and...whiskey :!: :!: I'm sure we probably slept a little, and she could get some rest too!

I also use vicks for muscle aches..I'll rub it on and cover with an elastic bandage, works as well for my arthritis as ben gay or flexall. I think they also make some type of tablet you throw on the shower floor while you get in and shower in hot water and it helps the congestion, but I haven't tried it myself, others say its great. There's also a thing..reminds me of cup-o-soup, that you heat til its steams and breath it in. sounds heavenly ;)

Yes, I have heard of it and a friend of mine swears by it though I have never tried it myself.

I took some classes on Aromatherapy & learned that you absorb things more from the bottom of the feet or palms of your hands, than anywhere else in the body. Of course you wouldn't want Vick's on your hands, so maybe that is why they suggest the feet? This is also good for Sinus problems.

Worked for me. :thumbup: :thumbup:

My younger sister told me this and it worked for our youngest daughter.

Ramona Byrd - I thought I was the only one who endured a "mustard plaster". My grandmother insisted my mom put this on my chest when I was little (I was very sickly). I think the only thing it really did was burn through a couple of layers of skin :). Mom also put Vicks in a vaporizer to help me breathe.

It is the only thing that stops Mr 7 from coughing all night when he has a cold. I don't know how it works but it does.

When I was a child and caught a cold Mom or Dad would put Vicks on my feet and socks on. Then Vicks on the chest with a nice warm piece of flannel pinned to my "undershirt" and to really cure the whole mess, Vicks rubbed on my neck, covered with one of my Dad's socks and pinned. Then with the Vicks that was left on their fingers, I got a rub under the nose. I don't know if it works or not, but the warmth is unbelievable -- to this day. If I get a cold, same thing, feet, chest, neck and nose!!!! Did it to our son, I do it to my husband - hey, we're still here and instead of the cold lasting one week, it only lasted seven days!!!!!!!

Remember Musterole??????? That stuff curled your nose hairs! Edie

I remember my great-grandmother telling Mom to "Vicks the kids up!!" (How long has Vicks been around??) I also use Vicks for athlete's foot and to remove plantar's warts. Do the same thing, Vicks up your feet at night and put on white socks.

My poditrist told me to put vicks on my feet to clear up any fungus that grows around my nail bed. I also put it on a cold sore on my lip to help it heal. Really works

That's how I have been told also. Can't understand it, but it does work

I have also heard that. I usedto putit on the kids necks, and my nose. I LOVE Vicks!

Hi Yes we do it here in Australia amnd it works Carmen

Absolutely. The skin is thin there in a way that it goes in and helps the breathing. If you like garlic, you can do the same thing and taste the garlic when you rub it on your foot. Its a hoot.
But the vicks does work faster on the feet!

Ok- I am suffering in bed with a cold right now and I am goi g to try this 'in real time' LOL. This is not the type of boost I expected when I logged on to the quilters on my iPhone!

Yes, I have heard of doing it on the bottom of the feet. It is one of the latest thing to do. Hope she feels better.