If you go to any Tinnitus forum or blog or information sites like Tinnitus Talk or Tinnitus and You, you will see some mention of Vicks Vaporub being able to help with Tinnitus or ringing in the ears.But, can Vicks Vaporub really provide Tinnitus relief? Do you have to apply it in your ears? How does it work? We answer all these questions for you.
When Can Vicks Vaporub Help with Tinnitus?
Vicks can help provide Tinnitus relief when you are suffering from a cold, sinus infection or allergies. More specifically, it can help when your sinuses are clogged up. When your sinuses are clogged up, your ears suffer as well, as air from your sinus cavities is passed through a tube to your ears. This tube is called the Eustachian tube. When this tube is blocked, the pressure in your ear is at abnormal levels. This then plays havoc on how your ear functions.
Your ear has tiny bones and muscles. When you hear a noise or sound, these tiny muscles and bones contract and vibrate to create sound waves that are then processed by your ear drum. When these muscles and bones don’t work in synchrony like they should, problems like Tinnitus, muffled hearing or even hearing loss can occur. In some cases, it can even result in other otolaryngic problems like vertigo or dizziness.
So, coming back to Vicks, the menthol, camphor and eucalyptus oil in Vicks can open up these clogged sinuses and with it, your Eustachian tube as well. This can then provide Tinnitus relief. This is of course assuming that your Tinnitus is being caused by clogged sinuses. If your Tinnitus was caused by loud noise, an ear infection or hearing loss however, Vicks Vaporub will not be able to help you. Here’s a detailed study that explains how Vicks Vaporub can be used to treat or manage Tinnitus.
How should you apply Vicks for Tinnitus?
First of all, please know that you should never apply Vicks in your ear. It is not meant to be used in your ears. In fact, it is not meant to be used inside your nose either. You should only apply a small dab of it at the opening of your nostrils. This way, you inhale the active ingredients in Vicks every time you breathe. This sustained release of active ingredients will slowly begin to clear up your sinuses and give you relief from both colds, allergies and your Tinnitus. You can also apply Vicks Vaporub on your chest as this will also help better your breathing, letting you inhale more of the active ingredients.
Other than Vicks Vaporub, you can also try home remedies like steam inhalation to unclog your sinuses. A neti pot is also a popular solution. With a neti pot, you gently pour a warm saline solution into one nostril to let it pass through your sinuses and come out of the other nostril. You will have to keep your mouth open during this process.
