Vicks Vapor Rub is a common over-the-counter solution for nasal congestion. This rub comes in a jar and has a green color due to its main ingredient, menthol.
Users typically apply it topically on the chest and back. It is rubbed into the skin where it is absorbed and heats the body. This helps clear nasal congestion due to colds or allergies.
People have started using Vicks Vapor Rub as a self-treatment for tinnitus. Tinnitus is when you hear sound in your ears that comes from nowhere external.
It can range in tone from very mild to extremely loud, making it hard to ignore. For many people, tinnitus goes away on its own, but for others, the noise remains long term or gets worse.
This article will discuss if Vicks Vapor Rub has any effect on tinnitus and how to apply it correctly if wanted.
How to treat tinnitus
While there is no cure for tinnitus, there are a number of ways to treat the condition. Treatments range from prescription and over-the-counter medications to hearing aids and sound therapy.
Some studies have found that the antidepressant drug citalopram (Cipramil or Cipralex) can reduce symptoms of tinnitus. However, this drug should only be taken under the supervision of a doctor due to the risk of serious side effects.
Many people find relief by using sound therapy or hearing aids. Sound therapy uses soft music or natural sounds to distract your brain from processing tinnitus noise. Hearing aids can improve your hearing quality, which can help reduce frustration and stress associated with tinnitus.
Massage therapy, yoga, and meditation are all helpful in reducing stress, which is a cause of tinnitus. Losing weight if you are overweight or getting more active is also helpful in reducing stress.
Does Vicks help tinnitus?
Vicks Vapor Rub is a popular over-the-counter medicine that has many uses. It can be used to treat nasal congestion, cough, and even to relax muscles and relieve muscle pain.
It contains camphor, eucalyptus and menthol which are natural oils. These oils have muscle relaxing and soothing properties. Since tinnitus is a form of nerve disorder, these properties may help relieve some of the symptoms.
Many people who use Vicks report improved sleep which in turn improves overall health and mood. Better sleep also helps reduce tinnitus as it allows the body to rest properly.
However, Vicks should not be used on an ongoing basis as this may result in it no longer being effective. As with any medication or treatment, it is best to talk to your doctor before stopping use.
Vapor rub and tinnitus
A few people have mentioned to me that they’ve heard that the smell of Vicks vapor rub can help cure tinnitus. I’m not sure why this would be, but it’s worth a try!
Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of external noise. It is sometimes described as a ringing, buzzing, whistling, or clicking sound in your ear.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for tinnitus. However, there are treatments that can help reduce the perception of tinnitus and allow you to get back to your daily life.
The first step is to see an ear doctor to make sure there is no underlying cause for your tinnitus (like an ear infection). If no diagnosis or treatment is needed except for lifestyle changes, then interventions can start.
These include things like stress management, diet changes, and exercise.
Compounds in vapor rub
One of the main ingredients in Vicks vapor rub that may help tinnitus is eucalyptus oil. This essential oil is one of the main ingredients in the proprietary formula that makes up vapor rub.
Other compounds include camphor, cineole, menthol, and other terpenes. These compounds are what give vapor rub its distinctive smell.
Studies have shown that eucalyptus oil and other essential oils can have a positive effect on your health. For instance, eucalyptus oil can relieve symptoms of asthma, including shortness of breath and chest tightness.
It can also improve blood flow, which helps rid the body of infection. Given these properties, it’s likely that eucalyptus oil could help relieve some of the symptoms associated with tinnitus.
However, no studies have looked into this connection specifically.
Are there any studies?
Unfortunately, there are no studies that have been done on the effects of Vicks Vapor Rub on tinnitus. Because of this, it is difficult to know if it is effective or not.
However, many people have reported that it helps relieve some symptoms related to tinnitus. These include calming the nerves, relaxing the body, and easing stress. All of these things may help with tinnitus as well!
Since there have been no studies done, it is hard to determine the best way to use Vicks Vapor Rub for tinnitus. However, many people report applying a thin layer to their neck and leaving it on all night. This seems to work well since you are letting your body relax and sleep.
You can also apply a thin layer just before going to bed at night. This may help with the smell of Vicks which some report helps them relax and sleep better.
What users say about vapor rub for tinnitus
Several users who tried vapor rub to treat tinnitus said that it helped ease the ringing in their ears. Most said that it took several weeks before they noticed a difference, and one person said it took a month for the effects to be noticeable.
Some people also mentioned that it helped them sleep, which is an important part of healing and coping with tinnitus. By getting enough sleep and avoiding stress during sleep, tinnitus can be reduced.
Others said that while the vapor rub did not cure their tinnitus, it did make their hearing more tolerable. Some mentioned using it as a preventative measure, applying it before going to bed to prevent restless nights due to ringing in the ears.
Many reported similar results: that vapor rub helps with the annoying symptoms of tinnitus, such as insomnia and anxiety associated with the sound.
Alternative treatments for tinnitus
While there is no cure for tinnitus, you can seek out treatments and therapies to help you manage your tinnitus. A variety of treatments and therapies have been studied for tinnitus, including hearing aids, masking devices, relaxation techniques, and exercise.
Hearing aids may be helpful if you have hearing loss as well as tinnitus. A hearing aid can enhance your hearing in the affected ear or ears, which may lead to less awareness of your phantom sound.
Masking devices such as white noise generators or specially designed sound generators (such as Soundcare) may help reduce the awareness of the phantom sound. These devices produce external noise that either matches or is louder than the inner ear noise.
Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and tai chi may help reduce stress and tension in the body. This may decrease nervous system activity that contributes to tinnitus symptoms.
Exercise may help improve your overall health both physically and mentally. This may help reduce symptoms related to stress and anxiety.
Conclusion
Vicks Vaporub has been a staple in many households for decades. It has multiple uses, ranging from soothing sore muscles to clearing nasal passages.
Its menthol component gives it its characteristic smell and cooling effect that many love. Many people have also found menthol oils useful in managing tinnitus symptoms.
As tinnitus is a disorder that is hard to diagnose, it is good to know that there are ways to help suppress the noise caused by this condition. Menthol oils are one of these solutions!
If you find that your tinnitus gets worse during certain times of the day or seasons, then switching to using a menthol oil may be a way to reduce your symptoms. You can either use them in place of massage oil or apply them topically depending on what your problem is.
