What Is a CBD Muscle Rub?
A CBD muscle rub is any kind of CBD infused product meant to be applied directly to the skin where you experience muscle pain. CBD—short for cannabinoids—are found in hemp plants; they activate your endocannabinoid system that controls things like pain, inflammation, etc. A study shows that using CBD could reduce inflammation and pain.
Why Use a CBD Muscle Rub
While many people ingest CBD oil for results, many find that applying the CBD product directly on the skin over the muscles is a better solution. It isn’t absorbed into the bloodstream, but the CBD will activate and target the endocannabinoid receptors nearest to it—resulting in a more targeted use. This is helpful if you’ve tried taking CBD in the past and you’ve gotten sleepy from the calming effects from it.
What Kind of CBD Muscle Rubs Are There?
Well, you can use just about anything except edible CBD products. Muscle rubs typically come in the form of topical ointments, creams, oils, and balms. Theoretically, you could rub in a few drops from a CBD tincture, but the consistency is usually very oily and it may not feel great on the skin.
Depending on the use of your muscle rub, the CBD topical could come with other ingredients meant to aid in providing relief. A common ingredient is menthol for the cooling and anti-inflammatory properties, and this also lends itself a pleasant smell for most people. Make sure to check the bottle to see the targeted area.
Some companies will sell 100% pure CBD in a balm-like consistency. This means that there are no additives, and with some research, you could buy this and then mix it into your existing muscle rub routine.
How to Choose the Best CBD Muscle Rub?
As you can tell, there’s a huge space in the market for CBD muscle rubs in all of its many uses. While there are a ton of CBD products meant to be applied to the skin, CBD muscle rubs are not meant for skin care. While there’s no evidence to show the exact effects of CBD, their targeted consumers are for those with arthritis, joint pain, and injuries. Always make sure that the company is using high-quality, full-spectrum CBD in their rubs, as that’s the active ingredient.
The Amount of CBD
CBD users indicate that higher amounts of CBD work well for issues like physical pain, so you want to verify that the concentration of CBD in your mixture is reasonably high. For a muscle rub, no less than 300mg per 2oz is a good rule of thumb. You don’t need a lot of it, but you want to ensure that you’re using a high enough dosage.
Added Ingredients
The company will likely include other ingredients to make a true lotion/balm/cream. Check to make sure that they’ll interact with your skin appropriately, and are hydrating and moisturizing. If it contains other added ingredients (like menthol) make sure that’s something you want. Adding these other ingredients to CBD could create a strong formula that can help you achieve the results you desire.
How to Use a CBD Muscle Rub?
Follow the directions for the proper amount. If there are no instructions and it comes in a pump, one pump is usually enough. If it comes in a jar, then use just enough to cover your fingernail.
As with any topical, a good rule of thumb is to leave it on for at least 10 minutes before engaging in any activity that could remove it (showering, sweating, swimming, etc.) This leaves enough time for maximum absorption and effects to take place.
If you use it before or after being physically active, you could put it on before engaging in the activity or after you’ve already showered and finished. The rub will likely also be moisturizing, so it’s an ideal time to use it. Skincare is important!