Can Vicks VapoRub Really Cure a Migraine?
When it comes to curing just about anything, the Latinx community relies on trusted home and over-the-counter remedies — a sopita here, a jarabe there. Nothing reigns supreme the same way that Vicks VapoRub does. From un mal de amores to a runny nose, ViVapoRu (as our parents would say) was there to hold your hand and heal any ailment… including those persistent migraines.
But can this powerhouse ointment really cure them? The short answer is no, but it does have properties that can help.
Vicks VapoRub is the workhorse of the medicine cabinet for a good reason
If we were to compare ViVapoRu to the zodiac, it would be the Cancer of home remedy stash. It just wants to nurture you back to health. Vicks VapoRub was created by a North Carolina pharmacist named Lunsford Richardson to help treat his young son’s croup cough over 125 years ago.
Since then, it’s been mainly used to relieve coughs and help ease any aches and pains in the muscles. Migraine Clinic notes that there are three main ingredients that contribute to the feelings of ease one gets once they inhale the smell of this remedio: menthol, camphor, and eucalyptus oil.
Preliminary research has discovered that smells like that of menthol and mint have shown promising results when it comes to soothing migraines, aches, and pains in the body.
Healthline reports that its additional inactive ingredients, such as cedar leaf oil, nutmeg oil, petrolatum, thymol, and turpentine oil, also contribute to the creative uses people have for the product.
This is why you’ll find that, in addition to using Vicks VapoRub for migraines, people will use it to help curb acne, fade stretch marks, train pets, heal rough skin on their heels, and repel mosquitoes. One study found that its three active ingredients “may effectively treat toenail fungus.”
It’s not that Vicks can’t do the job, it’s that it simply can’t do the whole job on its own
Despite being the Swiss Army knife equivalent of over-the-counter goodies, science doesn’t support the claim that it alleviates migraines. Migraine Clinic explains how menthol, a top active ingredient found in the topical ointment, can “alleviate headache symptoms when applied topically.”
Why? Research has shown that menthol helps relax the muscles it’s applied to. It also helps release tension in your muscles, which in turn alleviates some of the discomfort that comes with migraine headaches.
That being said, there is research that supports menthol being used as a pain-relieving agent for headaches, but those studies used higher quantities of it — between six to 10%. The little tub of Vicks VapoRub sold at the store? That only carries about 2.6%.
To truly make a difference in alleviating migraine pain, users need to combine the ointment with other practices like adequate hydration, healthy eating habits, proper sleep hygiene, stress management, physical activity, and, in some cases, medication. In extreme cases, Botox injections have been known to help.
Vicks VapoRub is a Latinx cultural icon primarily due to its accessibility
Access to medical care in the United States can be costly and, for many, simply out of reach. In immigrant households (and even in modest homes across Latin America) visiting a doctor isn’t always an option. Limited time off work, language barriers, and deep-seated fears often stand in the way.
But this powerful ointment does more than ease coughs and sore muscles, it soothes the soul. It offers comfort and reassurance in a world where so much feels uncertain. For many Latinx families, Vicks VapoRub is a way to care for loved ones, bring relief during illness, and reclaim a sense of safety.
Passed down through generations, VapoRub is a thread that ties the past to the present. Its scent brings back childhood memories. Its texture signals healing. Its familiar tingle reminds us we are always cared for.
