CBD can be used in countless ways to combat symptoms caused by endocannabinoid deficiencies, including pain, inflammation, and insomnia. You can drink it, you can eat it, you can vape it, and you can even apply it directly to your skin.
Whether you experience soreness and tension from a chronic condition or from working hard at the gym, CBD topicals are the most efficient way to deliver a boost of cannabinoids right where your body needs them most.
How Topical CBD Works
CBD helps your internal systems reach homeostasis, which means everything is in balance and working as efficiently as possible. They mainly do this by targeting areas experiencing soreness and tension responses. The more juice these receptors have, the better they perform this task. When you consume CBD, you’re giving these receptors a boost and improving your chances of relieving unpleasant symptoms that bring you down.
Topical CBD works differently than orally consumed CBD. It’s less likely to enter the bloodstream through your skin, unless the concentration of your product is high enough to sneak past the skin barrier. As a result, the plant cannabinoids absorb into the area where the cream has been applied, providing faster relief directly where you need it.
What Science Says About CBD Topicals
We’re still waiting for large-scale human studies and clinical trials on CBD topicals and their effectiveness, but there have been some smaller studies performed on the topic of CBD, pain, and inflammation.
According to the National Academies of Sciences, Medicine, and Engineering, decades of cannabis research have demonstrated that adults who experience pain and consume cannabis or cannabinoids are more likely to experience a “significant reduction” in pain symptoms overall.
A rodent study in 2017 showed that rats who received a CBD injection into their knee artery had less inflammation and less pain-related behavior than those who received the placebo. Another rodent study used topical CBD on arthritic joints in rats for 4 consecutive days, concluding that it reduced pain-related behaviors and inflammation levels with no side effects.
It’s worth noting that both humans and rats have an endocannabinoid system, which lends some credibility to the studies. Still, nothing beats a human study to truly show how topically applied CBD affects our bodies, so we’re still waiting for one of those to happen.
How to Use Topical CBD
Topical CBD products can come in many forms, including creams, oils, salves, and patches. With each product, you’ll have to experiment to find exactly the right dose from you. The amount you use will depend on the potency of the product, your experience with CBD, your soreness and tension levels, and other biological factors. As with most cannabis-related products, trial and error is key to finding your perfect dose. The more milligrams of CBD your topical product contains, the less you’ll have to use at a time.
With our topical CBD Body Cream, we recommend starting with a nickel-sized amount of product, applying directly to the affected area, and reapplying every 4-6 hours depending on how you feel. For a fast-acting boost of cannabinoids to your bloodstream, you can pair your topical application with a few drops of oil under the tongue. The delicate vessels will absorb the CBD into your bloodstream, so you can enjoy the experience of both internal and topical cannabinoids.
Ready to give CBD topicals a try? Our Highline Wellness CBD Body Cream is the perfect addition to your gym bag or medicine cabinet. Give it a try next time you need some fast-acting relief and let us know what you think!
