Natural remedy for pain (e.g. headache, sore muscles)

When I have pain, it is far too easy to reach for a commercial product in an orange package or red package. What could I use to replace those for pain for headaches or sore muscles or similar?

obviously the cause of your pain may have a lot to do with the remedy.

I work at a computer and every so often I get a 'tweak' in my shoulders, lower back, or sometimes mouse wrist.
I have an essential oil blend that is like tiger balm (very heavily aromatic, to the point that you don't want it near any mucous membranes) but stronger, way stronger.
Between that and physical manipulation (stretching, using a foam roller when lying on my wood floor) I take care of most of my pain. The oil is HOT and a quick massage into the muscles loosens things up and the notion that my skin is on fire certainly distracts me from what was bothering me before.....

When I have a headache I drink mint tea, often brewed strong and dumped over ice. I also may put mint oil on my wrists and rub a bit (again, watch where the hand goes later, mint can burn). I used to get migraines and painkillers don't do much, so a hit of coffee and a cold washcloth over my eyes and a quick lay-down in a dark room was my go-to.

for headaches I like a strong passionflower vine infusion.
My headaches are almost exclusively from over lifting and the pain is at the base of my skull.
I found p. flower works way better than ibuprofen.

As mentioned, the cause differs.

I usually find honeysuckle tea to be beneficial. One review lists them as “neuroprotective” along with a lot of lovely other things. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711321004293 I have even found that pains in worrying places tend to go away with honeysuckle tea (Lonicera tatarica usually, but it’s possibly Lonicera x bella). However I wouldn’t recommend acting on that statement in faith as it may just be my body.

I think I once heard a doctor say most of what helps your headache when you take Tylenol is the glass of water. So, if I feel pain and I can't directly link it to some kind of injury, I first drink water. Just to eliminate the possibility that I'm simply experiencing dehydration (unlikely since I typically drink 100+oz per day, but hey).

Judith Browning wrote:for headaches I like a strong passionflower vine infusion.

Judith, I'm overrun with passionfruit!! it's commonly used here for insomnia (root and leaves), how do you make yours for headache?

Tereza, We dry leaves and make a strong tea.
I've read that leaves, stems, fruit and all are good so sometimes dry all three.
are we talking about the same passionflower? passiflora incarnata?

I like it as a relaxing tea also.

I think my headaches are from tight neck muscles so that might explain why it works for me.

I almost assuredly don't have the same kind of passiflora that you do (maypop type?) we literally have hundreds of kinds. But at least one (p. alata) is commonly used in medical applications alongside P incarnata here, and that's the kind I have growing in my yard. People often get confused about what parts are good for insomnia, often they'll drink the juice (which I'm pretty sure if more psychosomatic, but if it works....)