Q. I have had a hacking cough for over a week. Consequently, I’ve had no sleep at all and had horrible pains in my chest and sides from the endless cough, cough, cough.
I had heard about putting Vicks on the soles of the feet but dismissed it as just an old wives’ tale. However, last night at 1:30 am I was so sick of coughing that I thought, in for a penny, in for a pound. There’d be no harm trying.
I smeared the bottoms of my feet and put some socks on and lay down to wait. I just now woke up having slept straight through with not a single cough all night. A solid uninterrupted night’s sleep makes me feel like a new person this morning.
A. Over a decade ago a nurse called our public radio show to report that putting Vicks VapoRub on the soles of the feet calmed her children’s nighttime cough. She admitted that it sounded “wacko,” but we tried it and shared it with others. Like you, many have reported success.
Other simple remedies can often be helpful against a cough, including thyme tea, chicken soup with sage, a spoonful of honey (for children over a year old) and even dark chocolate. We have included information about such approaches and a wide range of purposes that Vicks VapoRub may serve in our Guides to Colds, Coughs & the Flu and Unique Uses for Vicks.
Those applying Vicks to the soles of the feet will find it helpful to put on a pair of warm socks afterwards. This protects the sheets from the greasy ointment and helps prevent slipping on the way to bed.
