People’s Pharmacy: Using Vicks VapoRub on the feet for insomnia

Q. You have written about using Vicks VapoRub on the soles of the feet to stop a nighttime cough. When I have trouble falling asleep, I do the same thing. I smear a layer of Vicks on the soles of my feet, put on a nice, warm pair of socks (to keep the sheets from getting greasy) and go right to sleep every time.

A. We have collected a surprising number of unique uses for Vicks VapoRub. Yours is the first to suggest that it could help against insomnia.

Another reader offered these unusual suggestions: “My father put a little Vicks VapoRub on his forehead when he had headaches. I do the same. Usually, people think I’m crazy, but it works most of the time. I have also read that if you put Vicks on your feet at bedtime it will keep your cat from attacking your feet at night.”

To learn more about the many unusual ways other readers have used Vicks VapoRub, download our free “Guide to Unique Uses for Vicks.” This online resource is available under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Q. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis several years ago and was prescribed the powerful prescription drugs Enbrel and methotrexate. I continued these meds for over a decade. Sometimes my doctor would add cortisone injections in sore joints.

I saw an article on statin side effects and stopped pravastatin to see if it made a difference. My “rheumatoid arthritis” magically disappeared.

A. Thank you for sharing your interesting experience. We found one study linking statin use to the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, May 2012). More recent reviews of the medical literature report no such association (PLoS One, July 23, 2024). There is even some research to suggest that the anti-inflammatory activity of statins might be helpful.

Statins, including pravastatin, can cause symptoms of arthritis and increase levels of antinuclear antibodies (ANA). Doctors use this as a marker for autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis. That may help explain your misdiagnosis and recovery after stopping statins.

Q. After my doctor prescribed azithromycin to take care of a Campylobacter bowel infection (my punishment for drinking the water during a visit to Romania), I was surprised that three days of this antibiotic obliterated my rosacea. The effect lasted for three months! Now, of course, I have a prescription for azithromycin from my dermatologist.

A. We are intrigued by your report. Rosacea is an inflammatory condition of the skin on the face characterized by facial flushing, redness, inflamed blood vessels and bumps that resemble pimples (although they are not).

Researchers believe that disruptions in the skin microbiome may be responsible in part for rosacea (Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, June 1, 2019). Possibly some of the inflammation is related to the body trying to respond to pathogens. That might help explain why you have responded so well to the antibiotic azithromycin.

Dermatologists have known for years that oral antibiotics can sometimes be surprisingly effective in the management of rosacea. They also prescribe topical ivermectin (Soolantra) to treat this condition. It often responds well to this anti-parasitic agent.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, Fla. 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”