I CAN BREATHE CLEARLY NOW MY COLD HAS GONE (Vicks VapoRub)

Member Name: Ann J Sec

Product:	Vicks VapoRub
Date:	24/03/01 (210 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Instant short term relief

Disadvantages: Can burn skin. Makes eyes water

I'b god a cold........and my node is all blocked ub..........sound familiar! ! ! It should do because at this time of year almost all of us has either had or will be about to get perhaps flu or a heavy cold, with symptoms of high temperature, watery eyes, runny nose and worse than anything else, stuffiness and breathing problems.

Children in particular find these symptoms particularly distressing and although a cold is a minor complaint, parents' sleep is often disturbed by an upset child whose breathing is obstructed during the night.

An old and tried remedy for blocked nose and stuffiness is Vicks Vapour. It comes in the form of a rub,an inhaler or even a spray, although I personally would give the spray a miss as overuse can cause damage to the nasal membranes. Certainly as a child I can remember the Vapour rub being an old standby in its familiar bright blue bottle with the green lid. Central heating was barely heard of when I was small (giving my age away) and colds were even more commonplace than they are now and oh,...how we needed Vick to cure us of our woes.

Vick Vapour rub is a vaseline type balm which is rubbed on the chest and back. It can also be rubbed onto the temples, although personally I would not use it on the face as it is rather strong and can cause a reaction. The vapour from the Eucalyptus, Camphor and Menthol is then released and breathed in by the sufferer. If used in this way it is best to apply it after a warm bath for added benefit.

The inhalers weren't invented when I was a child so this was the method widely used by all to cure blocked noses at that time. Certainly the Vapour rub is more suitable for use in children who could possibly swallow the rather thin and small inhalers and certainly shouldn't use the sprays, but care must be taken to ensure the medication does not get onto inquisitive fingers and consequently into the mouth. It is also important not to put the medication
onto the nostrils themselves as this can cause skin burning and irritation, especially to young and tender skin.

The benefits of the inhalation are almost immediate. clearing the nostrils and making breathing far easier, thereby obviously greatly relieving distress. Although the relief is only temporary, it is usually long enough -in the region of l0 - 15 mins for the child (or adult)to get back to sleep.

Alternatively a teaspoonful of the vapour rub in a bowl of very hot water works very well. This method is probably more suitable for adults (children run the risk of burning) and putting a towel over both the head of the patient and the bowl increases the benefits threefold.

Vick have however, moved on from those long ago days and have now produced an inhaler. Essentially this is the same medication but dipped in a wick and tightly contained in a plastic tube approximately 6cm long x l.5cm wide to stop evaporation. The tube has several holes at the top from which the vapour is released when the container is opened. By inserting the inhaler into one nostril whilst pressing firmly against the other and breathing in, immediate relief from stuffiness is gained. It is important not to be tempted to breathe in too strongly as this can cause a burning sensation.

The size of the container means it is easily portable in either a handbag or even a pocket or purse, meaning it can of course be used discreetly almost anywhere. We all know the embarrassment of sounding nasal during conversations or important meetings, or have experienced the misery of feeling blocked up and congested whilst doing exam work,but carrying an inhaler and using it beforehand can prevent this.

It is important to replace the cap after use as the medication will only work if the wick is moist but one inhaler will last for some considerable time. In the region of 99p for the inhaler and approximately £2.39 for the vapour rub, Vick is money well spent.
Remember for temporary relief it is the answer, but it isn't a cure and if your symptoms persist you should obviously visit your G.P.

I would recommend that every household should have this remedy immediately available in their Home First Aid Kit.

I can feel a song coming on........."I can breathe clearly now my cold has gone......I can see all obstacles have gone away.......gone are the ........la..la..la."....

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