When you're running to the pharmacy to pick up something for that headache, you're likely basing your purchase on whatever's most familiar. And if you've got a migraine, you might even just blearily pick out the closest bottle on the shelf.
But what if we told you there's an official, annually released list of the best and most effective products as recommended by pharmacists?
On Tuesday, U.S. News & World Report and Pharmacy Times released the list: the 2015 Top Recommended Health Products. You can now visit U.S. News Health,Pharmacy Timesand www.otcguide.net to see recommendations for more than 1,100 over-the-counter brands in 168 categories.
And this year's list includes six new product categories, along with returning favorites.
Below, we've compiled the top recommendations from pharmacists for selected categories, including the percentages. Be aware that not every product in a category is included.
Upset stomach remedies
Pepto-Bismol, 59%
Emetrol, 25%
Alka-Seltzer, 10%
Kaopectate, 6%
Hydration support
Pedialyte, 60%
Gatorade, 35%
Powerade, 5%
Related: Is Pedialyte the ultimate hangover cure?
Contact lens solutions
Opti-Free, 37%
Renu mult-purpose solution, 33%
Boston Advance, 9%
Biotrue Clear Care Cleaning & Disinfecting Solution, 8%
Prenatal vitamins
One A Day Prenatal, 43%
Nature Made Multi Prenatal, 18%
Centrum Specialist Prenatal, 17%
Nature’s Bounty Prenatal, 12%
Children’s homeopathic cough products
Other, 27%
Hyland’s Cough Syrup 4 Kids, 40%
Similasan Kids Cough Relief, 23%
Children’s Chestal, 10%
Children’s cough/cold combinations
Children’s Dimetapp, 30%
Children’s Mucinex Cold, 16%
Pediacare, 13%
Triaminic, 11%
Children’s Tylenol, 9%
Children’s Robitussin, 7%
Children’s Benadryl, 5%
Cold remedies
Cepacol, 33%
Cold-eeze, 20%
Zicam, 17%
Halls Defense, 13%
Other, 9%
Sucrets, 6%
Migraine headache products
Excedrin Migraine, 72%
Advil Migraine, 16%
Aleve, 6%
Tylenol, 5%
Headache products
Advil, 52%
Excedrin, 24%
Tylenol, 20%
Motrin, 15%
Aleve, 14%
Decongestants, nasal (spray)
Afrin, 75%
Neo-Synephrine, 11%
NasalCrom, 7%
Mucinex Nasal Spray, 5%
Antihistamines, oral
Claritin, 43%
Zyrtec, 35%
Allegra Allergy, 13%
Benadryl, 6%