Vicks vaporub for croup- placebo? or real?

Hi folks,

Hypatia (age 2.5) is very croupy and coughing a lot now (but not
pneumonia). I can't seem to find anything on the net, either way, that
would explain whether Vicks is actually effective, or whether it is
just a placebo.

Anyone have any cites? I'd rather not bother with the stuff if it's
just a placebo.

Cheers,

Andrea

"andrea baker" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi folks,

Hypatia (age 2.5) is very croupy and coughing a lot now (but not
pneumonia). I can't seem to find anything on the net, either way, that
would explain whether Vicks is actually effective, or whether it is
just a placebo.


My oldest was hospitalized four times with croup (as a toddler, he is now
18)... this is the first I ever heard about using Vicks. I thought their
vapor rub was for nasal congestion, not croup... which is in the throat.

What is most commonly done is to use steam, like running a shower in the
bathroom, and cool air. Humidifiers might help.

Also, you need to keep the child calm. We called croup the "pampering
disease", because if the child got upset they cry, closing off the throat
more... and it was much harder for him to breathe. I would think the sharp
odor and sting of Vicks vapor rub would cause more constriction that relief.


Anyone have any cites? I'd rather not bother with the stuff if it's
just a placebo.

http://familydoctor.org/220.xml nothing on Vicks

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infecti...ral/croup.html ...
again, nothing on Vicks

Do not bother with the stuff... keep the air moist, and the child calm.
Good luck.



Cheers,

Andrea

HCN wrote:
My oldest was hospitalized four times with croup (as a toddler, he is now
18)... this is the first I ever heard about using Vicks. I thought their
vapor rub was for nasal congestion, not croup... which is in the throat.

What is most commonly done is to use steam, like running a shower in the
bathroom, and cool air. Humidifiers might help.
[snip]

Wow, someone who required hospitalization. My kids are similar ages
to yours and I remember my son having croup a few times and we did
the steam-up-the-bathroom thing and I always wondered at what
point it was deemed serious enough for the hospital. I did end up on
the phone with the pediatrician sometimes. It's scary enough
as it is. How did you know to take him to the hospital - was he not
able to breathe at all?

-- Zip

Also, you need to keep the child calm. We called croup the "pampering
disease", because if the child got upset they cry, closing off the throat
more... and it was much harder for him to breathe. I would think the
sharp odor and sting of Vicks vapor rub would cause more constriction that
relief.

the odors are vasodilators as opposed to vasoconstrictors, so it certainly
shouldn't cause a negative effect, it also shouldn't sting, if that is the
case, it's possible that it's being applied to broken or damaged skin, or
that the person has an allergy to one of the ingredients.

Even if it is a placebo effect, you don't get the placebo effect if you
don't use it! But if it is having an effect then it would seem likely that
it's genuine, not placebo. If you want to minimise use, I would go for the
steam/humidifer as much as possible and use the Vicks at times when that is
not possible, or inconvenient.

Cheers

Anne

"Zipadee" wrote in message
ups.com...
HCN wrote:
My oldest was hospitalized four times with croup (as a toddler, he is now
18)... this is the first I ever heard about using Vicks. I thought their
vapor rub was for nasal congestion, not croup... which is in the throat.

What is most commonly done is to use steam, like running a shower in the
bathroom, and cool air. Humidifiers might help.
[snip]

Wow, someone who required hospitalization. My kids are similar ages
to yours and I remember my son having croup a few times and we did
the steam-up-the-bathroom thing and I always wondered at what
point it was deemed serious enough for the hospital. I did end up on
the phone with the pediatrician sometimes. It's scary enough
as it is. How did you know to take him to the hospital - was he not
able to breathe at all?

-- Zip


He was usually taken by car... after several calls to the doctor's office.
The real indicator was when his stomach would heave in and out and he
struggled to get air,(if you read the kidshealth link I provided you can see
the symptoms that require treatment). One time we had to leave a dinner at
his grandparents, he started to really suffer in the car so we pulled off
straight to the hospital without calling the on-call doctor. His oxygen
reading was below 70%... he was struggling very hard.

We were fortunate in that neither of his younger siblings had it as serious
as he did. It is just something with his throat anatomy.

On Jan 4, 2:31 pm, "Anne Rogers" wrote:
I would go for the steam/humidifer as much as possible and use the Vicks
at times when that is not possible, or inconvenient.

Vicks markets a steam humidifier that you use their liquid product in -
works great for bronchitis/coughing so why not the croup?
I also love using the Vicks ointment - rubbed on the neck/upper chest
and then with a warmed towel wrapped around to make it soak in more -
clipped in place and its very comforting and soothing. Not a placebo, I
would swear that it helps break up the congestion.


joanne

"joni" wrote in message
oups.com...


On Jan 4, 2:31 pm, "Anne Rogers" wrote:
I would go for the steam/humidifer as much as possible and use the Vicks
at times when that is not possible, or inconvenient.

Vicks markets a steam humidifier that you use their liquid product in -
works great for bronchitis/coughing so why not the croup?
I also love using the Vicks ointment - rubbed on the neck/upper chest
and then with a warmed towel wrapped around to make it soak in more -
clipped in place and its very comforting and soothing. Not a placebo, I
would swear that it helps break up the congestion.


joanne


In real croup there is very little "congestion", there really is very little
mucus to break up... from http://familydoctor.org/220.xml , "Croup causes
the trachea (windpipe) and larynx (voice box) to swell."

This constriction causes the seal bark like cough, and if severe enough will
cause difficulty in breathing. One reason for using cool air is to help the
swelling go down. Also (and this is mostly from personal experience), you
want to keep the child calm. Vicks can be very irritating when breathed in,
and could cause pain on a raw throat.

Yeah, we did the liquid Vicks in the humidifier, it was a disaster.

Also, about humidifiers: make sure they are kept clean. Wash them out and
let them dry out! The last thing you want to be pushing into the air is
mold.

On Jan 5, 10:27 pm, "HCN" wrote:
"Croup causes the trachea (windpipe) and larynx (voice box) to swell."
This constriction causes the seal bark like cough, and if severe enough will
cause difficulty in breathing. One reason for using cool air is to help the
swelling go down.


Ahh I see .. yes the Vicks stuff is in a warm air steamer, not cold. So
yes, very different.
If swelling/or breathing problems are symptoms of croup then I dont
think OTC products are efficient enough to combat it. Then this would
definately be a doctor visit for treatment. I recall when my daughters
throat swelled ( from tonsillitis/strep) she was put on a 10 day round
of steroids to bring the swelling down along with a oral rinse/gargle
to anesthesize the pain. Some things you just cant treat with home
remedies. :-)


joanne

"joni" wrote in message
oups.com...


On Jan 5, 10:27 pm, "HCN" wrote:
"Croup causes the trachea (windpipe) and larynx (voice box) to swell."
This constriction causes the seal bark like cough, and if severe enough
will
cause difficulty in breathing. One reason for using cool air is to help
the
swelling go down.


Ahh I see .. yes the Vicks stuff is in a warm air steamer, not cold. So
yes, very different.
If swelling/or breathing problems are symptoms of croup then I dont
think OTC products are efficient enough to combat it. Then this would
definately be a doctor visit for treatment. I recall when my daughters
throat swelled ( from tonsillitis/strep) she was put on a 10 day round
of steroids to bring the swelling down along with a oral rinse/gargle
to anesthesize the pain. Some things you just cant treat with home
remedies. :-)

You can relieve the symptoms.... But fortunately only a few kids have severe
problems with croup.



joanne