Washington State’s most Googled over the counter medicine is….

When was the last time you hit the pharmacy or the pharmacy department at a Grocery store to buy an over-the-counter medication? Over-the-counter medications are drugs that you can purchase without a prescription to take care of itches, aches and pains and a few actually can help prevent disease. 

More and more, Americans are leaning into the Internet and AI to help them decide whether or not they need an over-the-counter medication and what kind to get. 

screen shot / onlineabsn.marian.edu/most-searched-otc-medication-by-state/

According to onlineabsn.marian.edu,
‘Whether it is an allergy flare-up, an upset stomach, a headache, or a persistent cough, many Americans turn to over-the-counter medications to manage common symptoms. These products may be available without a prescription, but people can still have questions about what they contain, how they should be used, and whether they are appropriate for a particular situation. Search behavior offers one way to understand which medications are generating the most interest across the country.’ 

Researchers at Marion University did a study of Google searches for basic over the counter medicines across the country, and they came up with some interesting data. 

Most searched over the counter meds. 

In the research, they separated the search into two different categories of medicines. 

Allergies, coughing, and congestion. The number one search in 22 states. 

Digestive Health. Number one in 20 states. 

screen shot / onlineabsn.marian.edu/most-searched-otc-medication-by-state/

In Washington, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wisconsin, the biggest concern seems to be indigestion. (What are these people eating?) The most Searched over the counter Medication Is Tums. 

Pepto Bismol is popular in California, Florida, New Mexico and New York. 

Sudafed is very popular in Texas, Delaware, Washington DC, Colorado and South Dakota, 

screen shot / target.com/

Unisom is very popular in Utah. Do residents in Utah really have that much trouble sleeping? 

I won't go into the rest of the details, suffice it to say that some states are a little gassier than others, and at least one state has an issue with "number 2". 

I've had to deal with nasal congestion a few times. But the one that I get when I visit the drugstore from time to time. Is not listed in this survey. Occasionally I will use Advil. 

What is your number one over the counter medication.