The human body, at its base, is a machine that runs on bones, muscles and tendons. Like all machines, bodies moving parts will deteriorate and break down from time to time. Whether by accident, overwork or simple aging, we inevitably end up with musculoskeletal pains. Often the pain is minor but when in discomfort it is normal to seek quick relief. That relief usually comes in one of two forms, either a drug taken internally or a balm/salve massaged into the site of pain. The function is the same for both; to relieve inflammation and reduce pain. Of these two options, the balm has the power to act faster and has the benefit of zero unwanted side effects. If you think that oral drugs always work better for pain management, then you probably have not tried a pain reducing balm that has been infused with CBD.
What Is CBD Balm?
A CBD balm is a topical product that is made with cannabidiol to provide relief from pain when applied directly to the skin. It is most often used on muscles and joints. Cannabidiol is a chemical found in marijuana that has anti-seizure, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Balms have been used for millennia to treat aches and pains and the addition of CBD makes these tried and true remedies even more effective. CBD balms normally contain other ingredients that also work to reduce pain and inflammation while working in tandem with the CBD for a more powerful effect.
Why Do People Love CBD Balms?
Obviously the #1 reason people love CBD balms is because they work and have no unwanted side effects. Pure CBD balms contain no THC, so they are safe to use anytime. In addition, CBD balms are non-addictive and won’t cause drowsiness or other unwanted side effects like prescription and OTC drugs can. Major CBD studies are underway and so far they all clearly show the benefits of CBD when it comes to inflammation and pain. The bottom line is that scientific studies show that CBD relieves inflammation and CBD relieves pain.
Why Do CBD Balms Work So Well?
To understand why CBD balm works so well, you first need to learn that your body actually creates its own cannabinoids through what is known as the human endocannabinoid system (ECS) The purpose of these bodily produced cannabinoids is to keep the body in a state of homeostasis, or balance. So when pain and inflammation put the body out of its normal homeostasis, our ECS seeks to reduce the inflammation to balance things back out. Plant based cannabinoids like CBD can supplement our ECS to aid in restoring that balance. CBD is a way of helping the body restore itself using its own naturally occurring processes. This explains why taking CBD internally reduces inflammation, but why does it work so well on skin? The answer is that, fascinatingly, the skin actually has its own separate ECS. This is why sometimes topical applications of CBD can be even more effective than taking CBD internally.
What are the Benefits of CBD Balms
CBD balms are a natural alternative to prescription and OTC medications. Using CBD means no doctor bill, no expensive trip to the pharmacy and perhaps most importantly, it starts working right away. Even simple OTC drugs like NSAIDS may irritate the stomach and according to a recent study when taken over long periods can make inflammatory conditions chronic. Other drugs like acetaminophen can cause liver damage and the dangers of opioids are well understood at this point. A final thing to consider is that research suggests nearly all these drugs harm the gut microbiome to some extent, which in turn harms digestion and causes a myriad of cascading issues. So when you honestly consider the alternatives, if you can use a CBD balm for muscle and joint pain, why wouldn’t you?
How To Choose A CBD Balm For Pain
There are several different kinds of CBD balms available today. Each type has its own
benefits. You’ll need to consider how much relief you want, how quickly you want the effects to kick in, and the benefits of the supporting ingredients.
When it comes to choosing an effective CBD balm, there are three main things to consider:
- Type of CBD
- Potency of CBD
- Additional Ingredients
The types of CBD are full spectrum, broad spectrum and isolate. Full spectrum CBD contains all the cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes of the cannabis plant. Broad spectrum CBD is the same but without THC. Isolate is just pure CBD with no other cannabinoids of any kind.
Potency means the percentage of CBD in the product. A higher ratio of CBD is generally better and will provide quicker and more complete relief. With that said we found a sweet spot with our topicals and have customers report that ours worked so well they thought more CBD might be better and they tried products with higher amounts that didn’t work as well.
The additional ingredients are also extremely important when it comes to delivering the CBD effectively and providing other pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties.
Warming CBD Balms vs Cooling CBD Balms
Cooling balms provide relief via a cooling sensation when applied. This effect generally comes from menthol, a chemical compound found in the mint plant. These balms cool the area of contact, and provide a numbing sensation. Menthol also helps heal inflammation and pain by reducing swelling. If you’ve ever used an ice pack on a sore joint or muscle then you understand the power of cooling on an injury.
Warming balms offer relief with a warming sensation. Warmth is relaxing, and promotes healing. In an organic balm, the heat often comes primarily from capsaicin found in peppers as well as other herbs such as ginger, clove and cinnamon. Heat helps injury by promoting circulation which relaxes muscles and brings down inflammation. Capsaicin which de-sensitizes local nerves leading to short-term pain relief. It is said to act on Substance P, a neurotransmitter that sends pain signals to the nervous system. This can assist with pain related to peripheral neuropathy.
Neither balm is superior and it is a good idea to have one of each so you can see which feels better in a given situation. Heat and cold both help in different ways. Sometimes when injured the recommendation can be to alternate the application of heat and cold.
Is CBD Balm Legal in My State?
The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, allowing farmers in the US to grow it and that has effectively made CBD legal in all 50 states. As long as a CBD product does not contain more than .03% THC then there is no legal issue in any US State (or Canada).
How Can I Tell If a CBD Balm is Any Good?
As discussed earlier, the important things to consider in a CBD balm are; amount of CBD, type of CBD, and other ingredients. The type of CBD varies greatly and you won’t learn anything from a label. Full and broad spectrum are generally considered superior due to the benefits of the additional terpenes and cannabinoids. Finally, the “other ingredients” will vary to an even greater extent. The benefit of the other ingredients is hardest to ascertain without trying the product, but there are some things to look for. Consider the base that everything is dissolved into. As a base, shea butter promotes CBD absorption through the skin better than any other medium. CBD takes a while to absorb and shea keeps it moist and holds it in place on the skin long enough for the absorption to happen. You can also look at the other supportive ingredients on a label to see if you recognize any as naturally anti inflammatory. Some of these should be herbs that work well on their own that will be even better when combined with CBD. But then this leads into other considerations such as purity and strength of these herbs and supportive ingredients right down to the shea butter. It can get overwhelming unless you can find a really good CBD company that you can trust completely. Try to find known and trusted brands and always check to see if they have lab data available that shows their products are tested to show they have the amount of CBD claimed on the label.
Where Can I Order Good CBD Balm?
Our Restore line of balms work on pain and inflammation. We are a small family based CBD company and Restore is our pride and joy. We will never tire of people telling us that Restore saved them from pain that they have had for years or that they have given up opioids for Restore. We have been at the forefront of effective CBD balms since 2016 and have continued to perfect them ever since. Hand measured and poured in small batches, every balm is carefully created to ensure maximum quality. True to our name our balms are made from organic, full spectrum CBD, infused with organic supportive herbs and blended with organic, fair trade shea butter. We offer a cooling balm and a warming balm. Both balms can help reduce pain and inflammation. Overall, the cooling balm is the more popular product and is also available in a convenient stick form.
CBD Balms – The Takeaway
Balms for inflammation and pain have been used for centuries because they are effective. Adding CBD to these balms makes them more powerful due to the effect of CBD on pain and inflammation. CBD works because humans have internal and external endocannabinoid systems that keep the body in balance. CBD works in a balm because the human skin’s endocannabinoid system can absorb and use plant based cannabinoids to supplement itself. People like CBD balms because they work so well without having negative side effects. CBD balms are legal in the US and good CBD balms should have plenty of CBD and supportive ingredients. The best CBD balms on the market are made by Cordial Organics (at least that’s what we have been told).
Good CBD balms work! Don’t take our word for it, put one to the test yourself by ordering some today. Use the discount RESTOREME at check out for 15% off our Restore line of balms.
