A sore throat can get anyone squinting in pain throughout the day. Commonly developed as a result of a cold or flu, a sore throat can make it very difficult to eat, speak, or perform oral hygiene practices. Despite being a major pain in the neck though, a sore throat isn’t really a major health problem. However, because it can be very uncomfortable to manage, many people seek remedies for sore throat to help speed up the healing process.
Visit any local drugstore or grocery store and you’re bound to find a vast array of different products you can use for your sore throat. So, the main question isn’t really where to buy them, but which one to choose.
Skip the expensive episode of trial and error and buy the best medicine for sore throat by keeping this comprehensive guide in mind.
Top 10 Medicines for Sore Throat Chart
| Picture | Name | Form | Price | Rating (1-5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Traditional Medicinals Organic Throat Coat Tea, 16 Tea Bags | Tea | $$$$ | 4.8 |
 | 2. ZANE HELLAS OREGAWASH. Total MOUTHWASH. Daily Oral Rinse. 1 fl. Oz. - 30ml. | Rinse | $$ | 4.8 |
 | 3. Cepacol Sore Throat & Cough, Maximum Strength Numbing, Instant Action, 16 Lozenges | Lozenges | $$$ | 4.5 |
 | 4. Tylenol Cold Sore Throat with Cool Burst Sensation, 8 Ounce | Syrup | $ | 4.5 |
 | 5. Seagate Products Homeopathic Olive Leaf Throat Spray Raspberry-Spearmint | Spray | $$ | 4.4 |
 | 6. Chloraseptic Sore Throat Spray, Cherry, 6 Ounce (177 ml) | Spray | $ | 4.4 |
 | 7. Sucrets Classic Sore Throat Lozenges, Wild Cherry, 18 Count | Lozenges | $ | 4.4 |
 | 8. Cepacol Sore Throat Max Numbing Honey Lemon, 16 Count | Lozenges | $$$ | 4.3 |
 | 9. Boiron Homeopathic Medicine Roxalia Tablets for Sore Throat Relief, 60-Count Boxes | Tablets | $$$$ | 4.2 |
 | 10. Nature's Jeannie Gargle Away Throat Care, 6-PK | Rinse | $$ | 3.9 |
Consider This When Buying Sore Throat Medicine
Sore throat medicine is sold over the counter, so you can make your own decision on which product to buy without the expert advice of a doctor. Nevertheless, it’s important that you make a sound decision when you walk up to the cashier so you’re sure what you’re getting will work well to give you relief. Keep these main considerations in mind when selecting a product to help you land the best over the counter medicine for sore throat suited for your needs.
- Multi-Symptom Relief. It’s important to remember that a sore throat is commonly only a symptom of an underlying problem. So buying a sore throat remedy often means you’re only addressing the symptom and not really what caused it. That said, there are sore throat solutions that also target other symptoms that may come hand in hand with your cold or flu, and this makes it much more effective for holistic relief.
If your sore throat was caused by injury or trauma – such as when you accidentally shove your toothbrush into your throat while brushing – a plain and simple sore throat remedy might do the trick. However, if you’re experiencing other symptoms along with your sore throat, it may be much better if you chose a product that will help ease away those problems as well.
- Medicated Remedies. There are many medications geared towards relieving colds and flu that also help relieve a sore throat. While these options don’t target the sore throat per se, they do cure what caused it. This means you can experience long lasting relief against your cold and all of its symptoms, including the sore throat. Bear in mind however that these remedies often take more time to produce results because they need to kill off the virus or the bacteria first, so if you want instant relief, they may not be the best option.
What’s more, these solutions are said to cause side effects in some users, depending on the active ingredients in the formulation. Drug interactions with any maintenance medications you might be taking are also common, so it’s best to ask the advice of a health professional before using any medicated products.
- Natural Solutions. There are countless individuals who try to maintain a healthy and organic lifestyle, which often limits the products they can use even for health reasons. If you’re one of these people, a natural sore throat remedy should be the best product to choose.
These options are made from all natural and organic ingredients that are completely safe even when used alongside other medications and produce zero side effects.
Top 5 Best Medicine for Sore Throat Reviews
1. Traditional Medicinals Organic Throat Coat Tea
This powerful herbal remedy is an all-natural, all-organic, caffeine-free solution that promises to soothe a sore throat and provide lasting and safe relief for hours after use. The tea itself tastes a lot like licorice, leaving a thick, burning sensation throughout the throat, effectively coating sore tissues and numbing out pain.
The product is specifically formulated for throat health, keeping soreness at bay and suppressing coughs that could aggravate the problem. What’s more, it also proves to be a very pleasant treat, much more palatable and enjoyable than other sore throat remedies available.
For these reasons, Traditional Medicinals Organic Throat Coat Tea has been dubbed the best medicine for sore throat by countless users. So if you’re looking for an effective, safe, and enjoyable remedy, this product should be your first choice.
2. ZANE HELLAS OREGAWASH Total MOUTHWASH
Coming in at a close second is Oregawash Mouthwash with Carvacol. Another all natural remedy, this product promises to target not only sore throat but also other oral health problems such as bad breath, gingivitis, and dry mouth.
Oregawash Mouthwash contains a high concentration of carvacrol, which is a natural plant extract that works to fight off bacteria and stop infection. This ultimately kills off any foreign contaminants that may have caused your sore throat, giving you long-lasting relief against the soreness. What’s more, the formula leaves behind a very strong burning sensation when gargled, and this numbs out the throat to reduce pain and manage discomfort for hours after use.
3. Cepacol Sore Throat & Cough Instant Action
It’s likely that when you think of sore throat remedies, lozenges are the first option on your mind. When it comes to lozenges, Cepacol Sore Throat and Cough Maximum Strength Numbing Lozenges are the best ones for soothing a sore throat.
With a potent anesthetic in the form of benzocaine, this lozenge effectively numbs out the throat to provide instant relief against soreness. What’s more, the product also contains dextromethorphan, which is an effective cough suppressant ideal for sore throat cases that are caused by persistent coughing.
Although it is relatively an effective and safe remedy, the only concern that some users have is the longevity of the effects. Unfortunately, these lozenges can only provide relief up to a few minutes after they’re completely dissolved, which means you may have to take multiple lozenges to extend relief.
4. Tylenol Cold Sore Throat with Cool Burst Sensation
This product provides relief through by delivering a strong minty sensation upon use and coating the entirety of the throat with the numbing coolness. What’s more, it also provides relief against the other symptoms of colds, making it an ideal multi-symptom targeting formula perfect for use if you’re experiencing more than just sore throat.
What makes it an effective medication against flu and cold is that the product contains acetaminophen for temperature management and pain, as well as several other inactive ingredients that give it the cool, minty flavor that works to soothe a sore throat. The product is generally effective, working well on most individuals without causing side effects.
The only main consideration that you need to make when buying this product is that it can interact with other medications you may be taking. Be sure to read the labels and ask your doctor for contraindications before taking a dosage.
5. Seagate Products Homeopathic Olive Leaf
Another popular sore throat remedy is Seagate Olive Leaf Homeopathic Throat Spray. This product is an all-natural throat spray that coats sore throat tissues to provide temporary relief against the discomfort it causes. The spray contains high concentrations of wild indigo, which is a naturally occurring ingredient used for its benefits against the different types of sore throat.
The spray is fairly easy to use and comes in a very pleasant raspberry spearmint flavor that also helps to freshen breath. Compact and convenient, this product is the best one to keep in your purse or in your office desk so you can have something to use whenever you feel the beginnings of a sore throat.
Despite all of these characteristics however, there is a down side to Seagate Olive Leaf Homeopathic Throat Spray. The main issue that some users have is that the effects may not last very long. The spray can only coat the throat tissues for several minutes at a time because it has a very fluid formulation.
Easily washed out by swallowing saliva, it’s likely that you may have to perform multiple sprays in a single hour to extend relief. This could easily lead you to finishing up an entire bottle of the spray which can make it a very expensive sore throat staple.