Doctor cautions against applying Vicks VapoRub to nostrils, may cause lung opacities

[Ysc3]

Man applied Vicks VapoRub on nostrils for more than 10 years

On Dec. 28, 2019, Edriss, a Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician who works at Saint Joseph Hospital in the USA, took to Facebook to share about a middle-aged man whom she had treated.

According to her, the man had been chronically applying Vick’s VapoRub gel on his nostrils for more than 10 years to provide relief for nasal congestion.

In recent years, he had sought help from the health care system for respiratory distress and had been diagnosed with pneumonia on each occasion.

Two CT chest images that were taken six months apart showed how he was wrongly diagnosed with infectious pneumonia and wrongly treated with antibiotics.

Applying Vicks VapoRub on nostrils can cause lung opacities within 24 hours

According to Edriss, the accurate diagnosis should have been exogenous lipoid pneumonia, an uncommon and under-diagnosed condition.

Caused by inhalation or aspiration of animal fat or vegetal or mineral oil, exogenous lipoid pneumonia can manifest radiologically within 30 minutes of aspiration or inhalation, and lung opacities can appear in most patients within 24 hours.

Because Vicks VapoRub contains a variety of oil-based materials such as petrolatum, eucalyptus oil, cedarleaf oil, nutmeg oil, thymol and turpentine oil, it should not be inhaled or applied on nostrils.

Edited January 9, 2020 by Ysc3

[Lala81]

lol what about axe oil/the flower oil (can't remember offhand whats the name) under the nose? haha 

Edited January 9, 2020 by Lala81

[Zxcvb]

This practice used to be quite common in the 80s and 90s. In recent years hardly see anyone doing it except lao uncles. 

[Watwheels]

I too have sensitive nose. From time to time will have nasal congestion. I take Zyrtec D for relieve since gp always issue the same. Can buy over at any pharmacy counter with pharmacist present. I never believed in those vapor stuff up the nose thingy.😋

[Ender]

1 hour ago, Zxcvb said:

This practice used to be quite common in the 80s and 90s. In recent years hardly see anyone doing it except lao uncles. 

Last time use to see ah pek stuck one small bottle into the nose and leave it there. 

[Freeder]

Jialat I’ve been using their inhaler for years..GPGT..

hopefully no issue .. think better pass to my buddy  @BanCoe 🙏🏻🙇‍♀️

[Karoon]

1 hour ago, Lala81 said:

lol what about axe oil/the flower oil (can't remember offhand whats the name) under the nose? haha 

No wonder so many penumonia related deaths in SG 

[Jtb]

Once you are addicted with those stuff into your nose daily may see some effect along the years to come just like smoking. If you are allergy within the home, try walk of the environment to an open air space and may feel better. Yes, read somewhere that vicks contain something like petroleum.

[inlinesix]

1 hour ago, Watwheels said:

I too have sensitive nose. From time to time will have nasal congestion. I take Zyrtec D for relieve since gp always issue the same. Can buy over at any pharmacy counter with pharmacist present. I never believed in those vapor stuff up the nose thingy.😋

Depends on what you are allergic to.

[Jusnel]

prepare for class suit worldwide.............

[Kusje]

1 hour ago, Watwheels said:

I too have sensitive nose. From time to time will have nasal congestion. I take Zyrtec D for relieve since gp always issue the same. Can buy over at any pharmacy counter with pharmacist present. I never believed in those vapor stuff up the nose thingy.😋

Buy generic one from Malaysia even cheaper. Zyrtec is brand name med.

[Count-Bracula]

Vicks inhaler is banned in Japan.

I bought one 2 weeks ago used it for a day  . . . Googled and threw it away.

my mom and grandma will swipe with their little fingers a dollop of Vicks vapor rub and stuff it up our nostrils whenever we have congested nose when we were young kids.

I HATE it and always ran away from them  . . could my allergic rhinitis be due to this?

[Blueray]

applying Vicks VapoRub on nose and using Vicks inhaler is 2 separate issue right ?

the issue is applying Vicks VapoRub on nose per the article.

[mersaylee]

4 hours ago, Ender said:

Last time use to see ah pek stuck one small bottle into the nose and leave it there. 

You mean Soya? 😝

[mersaylee]

58 minutes ago, Blueray said:

applying Vicks VapoRub on nose and using Vicks inhaler is 2 separate issue right ?

the issue is applying Vicks VapoRub on nose per the article.

I used it when I was young...used on my kids when they were young...but I only applied on their chests and behind the ears (old folks directive). Sniff if necessary but never apply onto the nostrils because they found it “spicy” (prickly) 

nowadays I only drink warm water or Zyrtec Rapid to clear nasal congestion 

[13177]

5 hours ago, Watwheels said:

I too have sensitive nose. From time to time will have nasal congestion. I take Zyrtec D for relieve since gp always issue the same. Can buy over at any pharmacy counter with pharmacist present. I never believed in those vapor stuff up the nose thingy.😋

But taking Zyrtec D also not a good solution right since it is a medicine?

[Inlinefour]

my fav last time 

 

 

breathe liao damn shiok man 

[zipping]

Vicks inhaler

tis is what i use to quit smoking (cold turkey)