Vicks VapoRub on feet stopped persistent cough

Q: I have had what’s known as a neurogenic cough, also known as irritable larynx, for decades. I cough every day when I get up, begin eating or drinking, during or after a meal, when my throat tickles and even when I just think about trying not to cough.

Doctors wanted me to take gabapentin, but for me, it was a terrible drug. Instead, I resigned myself to live with coughing.

Then I read about calming a cough with Vicks VapoRub on the soles of the feet. I tried it last night with no expectation it would help. On the other hand, I had nothing to lose.

It worked! It was still working this morning when I had breakfast. If this relieves my coughing long term, it would be a miracle!

A: A chronic cough could be caused by medications such as the blood pressure pill lisinopril. Other possible contributors could be asthma, postnasal drip, acid reflux, smoking, cancer or infection.

When such sources have been ruled out, doctors may diagnose neurogenic cough, related to hypersensitive nerves in the larynx. Otolaryngologists may recommend speech therapy. Some doctors inject steroids, local anesthetics or Botox into the vocal cords.

Using Vicks VapoRub on the soles of the feet to control this kind of cough is untested and unorthodox. We have written about this approach for nighttime coughs associated with colds or flu. There is no scientific research, but hundreds of readers have found it helpful.

We think Vicks works by stimulating nerves that control the cough center. Please let us know if you continue to get benefit.

Q: I’m a woman in my early 60s, and my hair has been thinning for 10 years. Rogaine and several other products I have tried were

no help. My hair is thinner than ever.

I’m so very upset about my hair that at times I cry. Before menopause, I had a full head of thick brown hair. Can you recommend some home remedies for me?

A: A recent study suggests that you might want to try Pycnogenol, an extract of the French maritime pine. Sixtythree women with an average age of 54 participated in a placebo-controlled trial of this supplement (Health Science

Reports, January 2023). Those taking Pycnogenol had 30 percent more hair after two months and 23 percent more at six months. In addition, their scalps appeared to have better circulation than the women taking placebo. No unpleasant side effects appeared.

Pycnogenol is better known for its ability to ease menopausal symptoms ( Journal of Reproductive Medicine, JanuaryFebruary 2013). We wish there were bigger, better studies of this intriguing natural product.

Q: I’ve been on Armour thyroid for 35 years. Back then, I had all the typical signs of hypothyroidism: terrible fatigue, dry skin and trouble staying awake. I always felt like I was freezing.

At first, my physician prescribed Synthroid. When it had almost no effect, he switched me to Armour thyroid. It was like I became alive again. Both T3 and T4 thyroid hormones have been in the range ever since, and I am active and awake. Have other people reported the same benefit?

A: Many readers with hypothyroidism agree that desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) makes them feel better. There is even science to support this observation.

To learn more about why some people benefit from such a formulation, you may wish to read our “eGuide to Thyroid Hormones.” This online resource is available under the Health eGuides tab at PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Getty Images Using Vicks VapoRub on the bottom of your feet to control a cough is unorthodox, to say the least.