Vick's May Help Improve Cold Symptoms

Some good news as we head deeper into cold and flu season, as a new study has shown that Vicks vapor rub may help improve cold symptoms.  This was a study that involved 130 children with upper respiratory symptoms and compared Vicks to vasoline and a placebo.  Interestingly, those children who were treated with Vicks had an improvement in symptoms as well as sleep compared to the other two groups!  This certainly is a good thing, as we are somewhat limited in what we as physicians can recommend when children come into the office with colds and the flu.  Just one important note, though, that the regular Vicks should not be used in children under 2 (there is baby Vicks that can be used in its place).