What over-the-counter medicine is best for a sore throat?

In my experience, the best over the counter medicine for sore throat pain is ibuprofen (advil, motrin) or acetaminophen (tylenol) taken as directed on the bottle. Sore throat pain is like any other pain you may experience, and will respond to pain medication. In addition, gargling with warm salt water several times a day (3-4) provides relief and will help you heal faster. If your sore throat is due to Allergies or post nasal drip, you might also try benadryl (diphenhydramine) to help dry that up. Sore throat drops/candies and sprays are numbing agents. They tend to numb the tongue rather than the back of the throat. If you are set on one of these products, the spray will probably work better if you can get the spray back to the throat.