The best medicine for sore throat relief in 2021 - Insider

• An itchy, painful, sore throat is a common symptom of a virus like a cold, the flu, or COVID-19.
• While they won't cure you, cough drops and sprays are the best medicine for sore throat relief.
• We spoke with three medical experts and taste-tested the best medicine for sore throat pain.
• This article was medically reviewed by Jason R. McKnight, MD, a family medicine physician and clinical assistant professor at Texas A&M College of Medicine. 

Sore throat pain is arguably the most irritating of cold and flu symptoms — and yet, also the most manageable. The best medicine for a sore throat has ingredients in it to help soothe and sometimes slightly numb that itchy, tender feeling.

Sore throat medicine won't actually help you get better faster, though: "Most times, sore throats are caused by viral infections, so we are only managing symptoms to make people feel comfortable until the virus passes," Richard Bowen, PA-C, a primary care provider in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Georgetown, SC told Insider. A sore throat can also be from seasonal allergies or certain bacterial infections (e.g., strep throat, pharyngitis).

If you haven't visited a doctor yet, be sure to head there if you're still using sore throat remedies after 48 hours. The products could downplay the severity of whatever bacteria or viral infection you have – a cold, flu, COVID-19, or another virus, New Jersey-based pediatrician Connie Domingo, MD, told Insider.

If you're having difficulty breathing or swallowing or have a prolonged fever, call your doctor immediately.

With cold and flu season on the horizon, we spoke with three health experts who provided their recommendations for throat-soothing products, including ones for quick relief, all-natural products, and some for kids.

Here is the best medicine for a sore throat: