Prepare for Flu Season with Vicks VapoRub

Summer has ended, and the days are getting drearier and wetter, heralding the start of the monsoon season. And with this season of rains and its accompanying storms and floods comes a spike in the number of cases of the common cold and the flu.

It’s easy to blame your sniffles on the drop in temperature. Dr. Angela V. Ignacio writes in another Female Network article that cold weather “dries up your mucus-lined airways, causing an itchy or ‘chafing’ feeling when you cough or blow your nose.” She’s quick to clarify one point, though: “despite what old folks say, the weather itself doesn’t make you sick—it’s those darn viruses that spread faster in cool, dry air.” She goes on to say that, unless proper hygiene is observed by all, these viruses are easily caught and passed on. “Germs can spread very quickly in closed and crowded environments, such as air-conditioned offices and classrooms, via airborne or droplet transmission (e.g., sneezing, coughing, or talking).”

So how do you prepare for the flu season?

Of course, prevention is key. Many opt for flu vaccines, become more vigilant about washing their hands properly, and up their intake of Vitamin C as well as adopting other habits that help them boost their immune system. But sometimes, despite all our precautions, we still fall ill. And then the focus is to stop the virus in its tracks and work on getting better.

But, as Dr. Natasha Balbas writes in a recent article for FN, “There is no specific treatment for the common cold, but pain relievers and nasal decongestants provide symptomatic relief until the illness subsides.” Common symptoms of a cold or flu include difficulty breathing, a blocked nose, coughing, aching muscles, headaches, and body aches.

This is where Vicks VapoRub comes in—it’s a one-step solution for all of these symptoms, making it an essential component of your flu preparedness kit. Its active ingredients include menthol, camphor, and eucalyptus, all of which help ease common cold and flu symptoms. Menthol triggers your skin’s cool receptors without actually lowering your skin temperature, and this helps ease aches and pains. Camphor also helps clear congestion, which helps you open up clogged nasal passages. It’s also a mild antiseptic when applied topically, and its vapors have been attributed with headache relief. Eucalyptus oil, in turn, helps loosen phlegm, particularly when inhaled through steam or other methods.

These three ingredients in Vicks VapoRub help ease most of the cold or flu symptoms you may be feeling, making the illness just a bit more bearable. And because they are all contained in one handy balm, you don’t have to treat each symptom separately, as you may be forced to do with medication or other solutions.

Chills and ills may not be completely unavoidable in the coming months, making it doubly important for you to be prepared—especially if you’ve got a family to worry about. Stock your medicine cabinet with a jar of Vicks Vaporub for quick relief if and when you or someone close to you should fall victim to a seasonal cold or flu.