I come from the south. We kind of have a reputation for that kind of thing too. Let’s see…
• There are several over-the-counter remedies that you just don’t encounter much in New York or Philadelphia. Astyptodyne for relieving the pain of scrapes and shallow cuts: https://www.astyptodynefirstaid.com/purchase
Collyrium for when you get something in your eye:
BC Powder for your headache:
Then the home remedies, for sure…
• Sore throat from postnasal drip and/or coughing? crush and dissolve some peppermint candy in a glass of Jack Daniels and take 2 tbsp every half hour
• Hangover with sick stomach? dissolve a tbsp of baking soda in a cup of water; crush 2 aspirin and stir them in, drink it while it’s fizzing
• Splitting headache that advil and aspirin won’t make a dent in? Bring a pot of water to just short of boiling, throw a hand towel into it, wring it out but loosely so it’s still pretty saturated, then lay down and drape it over your face. Toss it back in the pot when it starts to cool off, repeat.
About 20 years ago, I had a cough that wouldn’t quit. I was advised to try onion honey cough syrup. Of course, it does have the advantage is you can take it as much as you like, but I prefer the hot toddy method.
Cortisone inhaler (Pulmicort) was much more effective.
My grandfather had a remedy for a stomach ache, but I don’t remember if actually worked or if it just took your mind off the belly ache. He would grab the skin of your back and pull it. All over your back. It felt very strange and if I remember right, it was somewhat painful.
Putting a mole’s foot on a string around a baby’s neck to ease teething pain. This page is about instances in England, but the treatment was imported into Appalacia, too, and survived into the 20th century (at least).
I don’t remember now if this is one treatment specifically mentioned by my grandmother or not, but she did once stand me against a tree and drive a nail into the tree trunk above my head. When I grew past the level of the nail, it was supposed to cure my childhood asthma. (It apparently worked.)
For many, many more like my examples above, look at these volumes on North Carolina folklore at archive.org. You know the episode of Andy Griffith where Barney keeps reading weird folk beliefs from a book? That book was almost certainly inspired by these.
ETA: this is the volume (out of 7) that covers folk medicine.
Once when I had acute stomach ache as a child, my mother gave me a hot water bottle to hold against it. Eventually she called the GP, who had me whizzed into hospital for suspected appendicitis, and I remember the surgeon there making a point of showing his colleagues and some students the marks left by the hot water. I suppose nowadays they’d suspect child abuse, but I think he was just pointing to it as an example of folk medicine.