Is Vicks VapoRub good for foot neuropathy? Some people feel that the application of Vicks VapoRub can provide relief due to its menthol content. Some people feel that the application of Vicks VapoRub can provide relief due to its menthol content. However, it's not a treatment for neuropathy and is only temporary relief. While Vicks VapoRub can help ease congestion and pain, placing it on your feet won't help ease cough symptoms.
Some studies have shown that Vicks VapoRub on the feet can help with neuropathic foot pain, fungus on the toes and cracked heels, but there is no evidence to support that placing it on the feet helps alleviate cold symptoms. Mandell's advice to apply Vicks to the soles of the feet may seem unusual. However, he explains that menthol, camphor and eucalyptus can stimulate nerve endings in the feet. From there, these signals travel through the nervous system to the area of the brain responsible for the cough reflex. By stimulating the nerves in the feet, Vicks can reduce the urge to cough, as it provides an alternative to traditional chest massage, especially useful for relieving pain during the night.
Like capsaicin, camphor and menthol inhibit a cell receptor called TRPA1 that translates heat, cold and pressure on the skin into neuropathic pain. Even so, many people swear that rubbing their feet with Vicks and covering them with socks reduces gravity and the duration of the common cold.
