How Does Vicks Work?

Vicks VapoRub can help you feel like you're breathing better when you're congested. It works by creating menthol vapors that feel cooling to your nasal passages when you inhale them, which tricks your brain into thinking you're breathing more easily.

Does Vicks actually do anything?

Key takeaways. Limited research shows that Vicks VapoRub may help with cold symptoms. When applied to the chest and throat, it may help ease cold symptoms like nose and sinus congestion. Vicks VapoRub will likely not work to help ease cold symptoms when used on the feet.

What does Vicks do for your lungs?

Results showed that Vicks exposure increased mucus secretion in both normal and inflamed airways. In addition, the studies showed that exposure to the product decreased the rate by which mucus was cleared from the trachea.