The Top 5 Cough Medicines

When you're sick, there's nothing worse than coughing so hard your stomach feels sick. Whether you're coughing because you caught the flu, have allergies, an infection, or something else, it's always an unpleasant experience that can shake your whole body and ruin your day. It's great to have cough medicine on hand for an unexpected bad day happens. We reviewed 20 cough medicines and picked the top 5 you need to have in your medicine cabinet.

Mucinex DM Expectorant & Cough Suppressant

This pill provides powerful 12-hour relief from coughing and chest congestion

The Mucinex DM Expectorant & Cough Suppressant is great for kids 12 years old and up as well as adults who want to cough less and get rid of mucus.

Best Overall

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When you don’t have any time to mess around with cough medicines that need to be taken every four hours, this Mucinex formula works well for 12 hours per pill. This one did the best job of making me cough less and also making my chest feel less heavy by breaking up the mucus.

This is recommended for children ages 12 and up and adults.

Pros:

Works right away and lasts 12 hours
Thins mucus so you can get rid of it
Only needs to be taken twice a day to keep working
Guaifenesin ingredient helps reduce chest congestion and Dextromethorphan HBr stops coughing
Can be taken with or without food
Doesn’t affect sleep

Cons:

Some reviewers reported feeling dizzy after taking this formula

Buckley’s Original Cough Congestion Syrup

Take a more natural approach to killing your cough

Buckley's Original Cough Congestion Syrup is known for its horrible taste but wonderful results. You won't enjoy taking it, but you will be happy to know it actually works.

Most Natural

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I ordered this cough medicine because I was curious – this Canadian brand advertises that it tastes awful but works. Well, they are totally right. I suggest mixing this medicine with honey or something sweet to help the cause because it tastes terrible. Be sure to have something to “chase” it with, like water.

This syrup is actually a blend of menthol, camphor, potassium bicarbonate, and ammonium carbonate – meaning it leans on the benefits of these ingredients rather than traditional medicine. This is recommended for kids 12 and up as well as adults.

Pros:

Works well on minor coughs
Helped soothe my throat after coughing so much on a day where I was particularly sick
Can be added to tea to be easier to drink

Cons:

Must be taken every 2-3 hours
Tastes terrible

Vicks NyQuil and DayQuil SEVERE Cough, Cold, & Flu

Twin pack is good for using day and night while you battle a cough

Vicks NyQuil and DayQuil SEVERE Cough, Cold, & Flu lives up to its name by helping with coughs, fevers, sore throats, and more.

Best for Severe Coughs

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If you’re fighting an intense cough, this combo pack from Vicks will be your best friend. It’s recommended to take every 4 hours, and the nighttime NyQuil formula will help you sleep even through coughing.

I had trouble falling asleep while coughing constantly, but the NyQuil put me to sleep in about 30 minutes and for that I am thankful. This dynamic duo is very helpful to have when you are having cold and cough symptoms.

Pros:

Daytime and nighttime formulas included
Contains ingredients to help loosen phlegm
Acts as a nasal decongestant
Thorough medicine to stop severe coughs in their tracks
Can be used by children 4 and up
Citrus blend formula in DayQuil is tolerable

Cons:

Must be taken every 4 hours
NyQuil formula does not taste good

Mucinex Fast-Max Day& Night Time Cold & Flu Medicine

1 dose treats 9 symptoms that are making you miserable

Mucinex Fast-Max Day& Night Time Cold & Flu Medicine is an all-in-one solution that will keep you comfortable day and night.

Most Efficient

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Similar to our #3 pick, this is a day/night combo pack of cough medicine. This one is the most efficient because it claims to treat symptoms like cough, fever, sore throat, headache, body pain, nasal congestion, and more. I did notice that I felt significantly less congested after taking this medicine but it will of course depend on your symptoms.

Towards the end of my cough, I developed a runny nose and was happy to see this nighttime medicine took care of it so I didn’t sniffle all night. It’s nice to have so many different things treated without having to take separate medications and worry that they might interact poorly with each other.

Pros:

Treats 9 common cold symptoms in one bottle
Includes day/night formulas

Cons:

Must be taken every 4 hours
Cannot be used by kids under 12 years old

Creomulsion Adult Cough Medicine

Helps soothe coughs and sore throats with its special formula

The Creomulsion Adult Cough Medicine will help you stop coughing so much so you can feel better.

Best Over-the-Counter Cough Suppressant

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This formula can only be taken by adults. According to the manufacturer, it contains a chemical called dextromethorphan which calms the cough control center in your brain. This happens by coating and soothing raw, irritated membranes.

I felt like this medicine was the best at calming my cough down, and while it does not make you tired it will help you sleep because you won’t be constantly interrupted by coughing.

Pros: