People swear it works: putting Vicks VapoRub on the souls of your feet and covering them with a towel or socks can get rid of your cough overnight. But is that really the case? 

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The DIY cold remedy has been touted across social media with success stories. But experts aren't sure if there's any scientific credence to them.

"The scent of menthol in Vicks VapoRub triggers cold receptors in your nose and upper airway, where you sense temperature and smell, Satya D. Narisety, M.D., a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Rutgers University, told Parents.com. "It doesn't actually open up airways or break up mucous, but the menthol does trick your brain into thinking your airways are opening up and you're not so congested."

If the heart of the treatment's effectiveness is the ability to inhale it, why did people start putting it on their feet?

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It may have to do with the ancient alternative medicine practice of reflexology, which suggests that parts of the feet are connected to other organs in the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, studies show that applying pressure to areas of the feet can alleviate stress and even reduce pain. Other reflexology claims are not supported by science, however. 

So, Vicks on your feet could really work, or it may be psychological. 

"By concentrating on something else, i.e. the process of putting Vicks on with the socks, you are reducing your stress levels," psychologist Lynne Jordan told the Daily Mail. "When people have coughs they tense up and as a result they breathe in more shallowly, which irritates the cough further." 

A word of caution: the New York City Health Department warned that Vicks VapoRub should not be applied excessively on children, as the active ingredient camphor has been shown to be dangerous in large amounts. 

As long as you are using Vicks VapoRub the right way, if the remedy works for you, go for it, the folks at People's Pharmacy recommend. Whatever gets the job done. 

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