It is sold without a prescription and seems harmless, but a study reveals that the menthol balm Vicks Vaporub may cause respiratory problems if used in children under 2 years old.
Although the product label warns that "it is indicated for adults and children over 3 years old", it is the typical product that we find in the kit of all homes and from which we easily use to clear nasal congestion in colds. It does not seem dangerous, total just smear it under the nose or chest.
But after an 18-month-old baby was admitted with severe respiratory problems after the ointment was applied and although the manufacturer says it is a safe product when it is well used, researchers at the Department of Pediatrics at Wake Forest University (United States United) have analyzed the effect it causes in ferrets, animals that have a human-like respiratory anatomy.
They found that Vicks Vaporub contains irritating ingredients causing the body to stimulate mucus production to protect the airways. The increase in mucus causes narrowing of the pathways, preventing the normal passage of air and causing the body to clean the mucus at a slower rate.
Some of the ingredients in Vicks, mainly menthol (also contains camphor and eucalyptus oil), deceive the brain by making it believe that breathing becomes easier due to a feeling of freshness. The head of the study, Dr. Bruce K. Rubin says that "it can make you feel better but it can't help you breathe better."
Before colds in babies, the best remedy to relieve congestion symptoms is to clean the airways with physiological serum, clear them with nasal aspirators and offer plenty of fluids.
