Can Feng You Jing (camphor oil) applied to the throat help relieve coughing?
Mar 13, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Lu Cheng
Introduction
The throat refers to the pharynx; applying Feng You Jing (camphorated oil) on the throat cannot relieve coughing. Feng You Jing is a topical medication primarily composed of ingredients such as menthol, methyl salicylate, camphor, eucalyptus oil, and eugenol. It has effects of cooling, relieving pain, dispelling wind, and relieving itching and is commonly used to treat discomforts such as headache, dizziness, and motion sickness caused by insect bites or common colds. However, Feng You Jing does not have a cough-suppressing effect.
Generally speaking, the throat refers to the pharynx. Applying wind oil essence to the throat area cannot relieve coughing. The detailed explanation is as follows:
Wind oil essence is an external medication primarily composed of ingredients such as menthol, methyl salicylate, camphor, eucalyptus oil, and eugenol. It has effects of cooling, pain relief, dispelling wind, and relieving itching. It is commonly used to treat discomforts such as headaches, dizziness, and motion sickness caused by insect bites or common colds. However, wind oil essence does not have cough-suppressing properties or anti-inflammatory effects; therefore, it cannot be used to treat symptoms such as coughing.
Moreover, if wind oil essence is blindly applied to the throat area, its strong irritating odor and vapors may irritate the respiratory tract, potentially worsening the cough.
In daily life, it is important to maintain good lifestyle habits, avoid smoking, and prolonged exposure to heavily polluted air. Keep indoor air fresh by regularly opening windows for ventilation. Additionally, maintain a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals, engage in regular physical exercise, and enhance overall physical health to better resist viral and bacterial infections.
