How to Stock Your Medicine Cabinet, According to 49 Doctors, Nurses, and Pharmacists

With 16 experts recommending it specifically (and an additional six suggesting its active ingredient, acetaminophen), Tylenol was one of the most name-checked brands in our survey. “Tylenol is a tried and true pain reliever, effective for headache and fever,” says pharmacist Joanna Lewis, of the Pharmacist’s Guide. Timothy Aungst, pharmacist and founder of The Digital Apothecary, says, “I like acetaminophen because it doesn’t have a lot of drug interactions and is relatively safe.” Reproductive endocrinologist Thomas Molinaro adds that Tylenol is also safe for pregnant women.

Because its active ingredient, ibuprofen, works on different pain pathways than Tylenol, Advil (our second-most-cited pain reliever) is worth adding to your medicine cabinet, too. Joseph Pena, doctor of anesthesiology and pain medicine, says the two drugs “are the backbone of any analgesic regimen, and both work very well for a wide variety of pain.” According to Lewis, unlike Tylenol, ibuprofen is anti-inflammatory, so it has more of an effect on muscle and body pain.

For around-the-clock relief from sore throat, cough, fever, and other cold symptoms, experts like the combined power of DayQuil and NyQuil. “They both contain a fever reducer and pain reliever, a cough suppressant, and a nasal decongestant,” says Tutela. Internist Amy Bleyer adds that they provide the “best results with [the] fewest side effects.” If you have a runny nose, the antihistamine in NyQuil can handle that too, says pharmacist Regina Moore, founder of Pharmacists Connect.

Allergy medicine has a reputation for causing drowsiness, and while this is true for some older drugs, experts say it’s not the case with Zyrtec. “Zyrtec is in the newer class of allergy medicines,” says Lewis. “It works pretty quickly and does not have a lot of sedation side effects compared to some of the others.” Bariatric surgeon Daniel J. Rosen calls it “strong and long lasting,” and Andrea Klemes, doctor of internal medicine and endocrinology, takes it herself because she thinks it “works the best.”

If your allergies have you sniffling and constantly reaching for tissues, several of our experts recommend trying Flonase. According to Lewis, Flonase “works by vasoconstricting and reducing inflammation in the nasal passages.” Even compared to antihistamines, “nasal steroid sprays are proven to be most effective at fighting allergies,” says Natasha Bhuyan, a family medicine doctor at One Medical. Susanna Silverman, an allergy and immunology specialist, says consistent use during allergy season “provides targeted relief for allergic rhinitis [inflammation of nasal mucus membranes] symptoms, including sneezing and runny nose.”

When you’re really stuffed up, our experts suggest finding Sudafed with pseudoephedrine. It’s not available online — an unfortunate side effect of pseudoephedrine’s being an ingredient in meth — so you’ll need to head to the actual drugstore to buy it. If you can’t make the trek, Sudafed PE contains a similar, if not quite as effective, drug called phenylephrine.

Nearly two dozen of our experts singled out Vicks VapoRub as the ultimate topical treatment for cough and congestion. Albert Levy, a family medicine doctor, calls it “warming and reassuring,” Aungst likes the “nice smell,” and internist Holly Phillips says it’s her “grandma’s remedy.” As for how it works, pharmacist Jamie Hardy says, “the medicated vapors are released quickly to help with both congestion and suppression of cough. The sensation produced by the camphor and menthol are soothing and calming.”

When it comes to cold sores — painful blisters on the edges of the lips associated with the herpes simplex virus — the consensus among doctors is that Abreva is the most effective treatment. “Abreva is the only FDA-approved, non-prescription cold sore medicine,” says Phillips. “[It] shortens the course of the outbreak and works best when started before the sore appears.” (Tingling usually precedes the sore, she says.) While other medications simply numb the spot, Aungst says that the active ingredient in Abreva is a “topical antiviral,” so it actually reduces replication of the virus, which helps speed up healing. Lewis adds that Abreva has “been shown to decrease the healing time and shorten the duration of symptoms, such as burning and itching.”

Unlike cold sores, canker sores appear within the mouth and aren’t contagious. They can be caused by anything from irritation within the mouth to food sensitivities to stress or hormone changes. “They resolve on their own and something to help the pain is all that’s needed,” says Scott Ferrara, a doctor of pulmonary medicine. Along with a handful of other doctors, he likes Orajel for pain relief. Rosen is a fan because Orajel “numbs [the] area and has a minty taste.”

You can use a topical pain reliever (like Orajel above) for a toothache, but lots of doctors recommend sticking with a standard analgesic for longer-term relief. Dentist Inna Chern likes NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines) instead of something like Tylenol. “Most tooth pain is inflammatory and these are the go-to’s for inflammatory pain,” she says. “I recommend Aleve because it lasts longer — 10-12 hours.” This is one area, though, where the problem likely won’t get better without professional intervention. “Go to a dentist if it doesn’t resolve quickly,” says Ferrara. “Pain might be [a] sign of infection and you don’t want to develop an abscess.”

Although many of our experts said that contact solution is largely a matter of personal preference, three recommend Opti-Free. “It’s what I have always used,” says pharmacist Suzanne Soliman, founder of Pharmacist Moms Group. Ilyas likes that it’s “helpful for sensitive eye issues and less likely to irritate your eyes,” and it makes dermatologist Zain Husain’s list because it “disinfects and is hydrating.”

Since eye itchiness is usually a response to allergies, Aungst (who warns that this is especially the case “during changes in seasons such as spring when pollen is out”), and many of our other experts like that Zaditor antihistamine drops address the root cause. “These eye drops are effective, containing a medication similar to prescription antihistamine eye drops,” says Silverman. Ilyas says, “I always have this in my car to deal with pollen allergies.”

If you wear contacts, you’re probably familiar with your eyes feeling dry after a long day, especially if you spend hours staring at a screen. To rehydrate and soothe your eyes, experts recommend products that mimic natural tears, like these Refresh eye drops. “Refresh feels great as soon as you use it,” says Tutela.

Nausea is usually accompanied by several other unpleasant symptoms, so our experts are fans of Pepto Bismol since it attacks the problem on multiple fronts. “As the catchy commercial said, it can help with nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, and diarrhea,” says Moore. “So it’s handy to have around to treat a number of stomach ailments, especially if you only want to stock one thing.” Eight experts in total recommend Pepto Bismol, including Hussain, who likes how it provides “fast relief from nausea.”

We had natural and homeopathic suggestions across multiple categories in our survey, but this was the only area where there was a strong consensus — so strong that ginger finished only one vote shy of Pepto. “Ginger has been historically and culturally known to combat nausea and digestive issues,” says family medicine doctor Colin Zhu. Naturopathic doctor Kate Denniston says there’s even some scientific evidence to support ginger’s anti-nausea properties: “Many studies, including a Cochrane review, have concluded that ginger is an effective treatment for reducing pregnancy-related nausea.” Chewable tablets, like these recommended by Zhu, are great for on-the-go, but you can also try ginger ale (with real ginger), Tutela says. Amanda Carney, a holistic health coach at The Well, recommends ginger tea as well.

If diarrhea is ongoing (or accompanied with blood) it’s best to get it checked out by a doctor. But for short-term use, Imodium, cited by 20 experts, is a clear winner. “It’s most effective when you really need to stop the diarrhea. It’s common to take when traveling overseas in case of dreaded traveler’s diarrhea,” says Moore. Hussain adds that it’s “effective and fast acting,” and Hardy likes Imodium because it’s a “reliable and trusted brand with well-established maximum doses.” As Soliman points out, it comes in a tablet form, which most people find “tastes better than the liquid.”

For the opposite problem, our experts are fans of Miralax, which softens stool and loosens up backed-up bowels. Hardy says it’s “gentle and uses your body’s natural processes to help stools to pass more easily.” Gastroenterologist Austin Chiang says Miralax is “relatively inert and not absorbed by the intestines, which is why it causes liquid to be retained in the stool. Other agents may be stimulant laxatives which, over time, may lose [their] effect.” Gené van den Ende, head of North America consumer health medical affairs at Bayer (Miralax’s parent company) says — and doctors in our survey confirm — “it doesn’t cause bloating, cramping, gas, or sudden urgency that other laxatives can cause.”

Combining three germ-killing ingredients — bacitracin, neomycin, and polymyxin B — Neosporin is a top pick among experts for treating minor cuts and scrapes. It’s “tried and true,” Klemes says. Hardy and Rosen choose it because there’s no burning or discomfort upon application. “It helps to keep the wound moist and heal with less scarring,” Moore says. Experts caution, though, that some people may have an allergic reaction to Neosporin, in which case they should stick with simple bacitracin.

Gauze is useful for protecting wounds that are too big or oddly shaped to cover with a standard bandage. This is an area where you can go generic, but both Reisman and Bleyer prefer Curad, especially their non-stick pads. Emergency medicine physician Louis M. Profeta agrees that non-stick is the main quality to look for in gauze pads, as you don’t want anything that’ll adhere to your wound.

As for getting those gauze pads to stay on your skin, our experts generally prefer paper tape. While tape made from silk is generally stickier, the paper variety is more breathable and gentle. Ilyas says it’s “less irritating to the skin,” than silk tape, which can also cause an allergic reaction. Similarly, cardiologist and internist Annette Osher likes that paper tape “does not pull on skin, and [people are] rarely allergic to it.” Both Ilyas and Soliman say to go with Nexcare.

When you don’t have access to soap and water for a good hand-washing, experts agree that Purell is the best way to keep your hands germ-free. “It provides excellent protection against germs, killing more than 99.9 percent of the most common ones,” says podiatrist Velimir Petkov. He specifically likes the version with aloe because it keeps hands moisturized. Moore likes that it’s “cheap, readily available, and dries quickly,” and Duke recommends it since it’s the one used in hospitals. Multiple experts, including Ilyas, Husain, and family medicine doctor George Liakeas, say Purell stands out for its high alcohol content, which matters since alcohol is the antiseptic ingredient that actually kills germs.