Hemp cream for pain is taking the CBD market by storm. More and more curious consumers have been checking out if hemp cream is living up to all the hype. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence about the positive effects of CBD hemp cream for pain that invites consumers to check these products out.
But are these products safe to use in the first place? Are there any adverse effects on the skin that users should look out for?
For your convenience, we’ve gathered everything you need to know about using hemp cream for pain. Read on to learn more.
What is CBD?
The active compound cannabidiol or CBD is the one responsible for all the medical benefits of CBD products. Extracted from the cannabis plant, CBD is a naturally occurring compound that targets the body’s endocannabinoid system. It mimics cannabinoids found in our bodies and helps trigger homeostatic responses by binding with receptors found in our brains and peripheral nervous system.
Unlike THC, which is a closely related compound, CBD does not induce any intoxicating effect on its users. Since it comes from the hemp plant, CBD hemp products contain almost negligible levels of THC. There are observable adverse effects from using CBD hemp products. In fact, CBD hemp products are even observed to cause a relaxing and calming effect to their users.
Aside from this calming effect, there are a plethora of other medical benefits that come from CBD hemp products. And one of the many important medical benefits CBD hemp products have is aiding in pain management.
What is CBD Hemp Cream?
There are various forms of CBD available in the market these days, and more are still coming. From oil to edible gummies to even food and drinks, there are a variety of ways one can consume CBD. Depending on the use and its user’s preference, there is a form that addresses an issue.
CBD cream, or topicals, is used primarily to address issues on the skin. CBD is observed to penetrate deep into the skin’s dermal and subdermal levels, which makes it highly effective in treating skin-related problems.
Aside from pain management, CBD topicals are also used to treat inflammation and itchiness. At the skin (epidermal) level, scientists observed that CBD acts in the same way as it is in the human endocannabinoid system. It is as if the skin itself has its own endocannabinoid system. When used as a topical, CBD targets the receptors on the skin to deliver relief from inflammation.
Similarly, CBD works by binding with receptors on our skin that manage pain. Several studies have shown how CBD hemp cream can help with a myriad of pain-related issues. Some of these are:
Another study has also shown how CBD creams can manage pain in patients who are receiving palliative care. Nearly 71 per cent of the study’s participants used CBD cream and nearly 21 per cent continued to do so daily to manage pain, prevent nausea, and stimulate appetite while on treatment.
Hemp Cream With CBD vs Without CBD
You might be thinking hemp cream sounds very interesting right now, and you can’t wait to try it. But before you hit the shops and fill your cart with the best hemp creams you could find, you have to know that there is another hemp-related cream also available in the market: hemp seed oil-based cream.
The main difference between a CBD hemp cream and a hemp seed cream is the presence of CBD. Simply put, any product that uses hemp seed oil extract does not have any trace of CBD. Although it has been observed that hemp seed oil can help bring some minor relief to inflammation, it does not have the same portfolio of benefits that CBD has, including pain management.
Another difference between CBD hemp cream and hemp seed cream is the price point. There is normally a premium on CBD products due to the additional extraction costs and the many health benefits of CBD. Since you won’t be getting the same benefits from hemp seed products, they are typically more affordable. In terms of pain management, hemp seed cream can help moderately to reduce inflammation, but it won’t help with overall pain management as CBD products will.
To give a brief technical background on the two products, the distinction between them comes from how they are made. CBD is extracted from the main body of the hemp plant. Hemp seed oil, meanwhile, comes from cold-pressing the seeds of the plant. Since it comes from the seeds, it does not have any amount of CBD or THC.
The two compounds are vastly different, and being closely named with each other might add to the misunderstanding or misconception. This means using hemp seed oil for your pain management will not have the same effect as using CBD hemp cream.
Be very careful when choosing the products off the shelf. Make sure to read the ingredients list. Hemp seed oil or cream is very different from CBD hemp cream.
Using CBD hemp cream for pain is a viable option for people who want to manage pain. Whether it comes from cancer treatments, arthritis, or other kinds of pain, CBD can help mitigate the feeling of pain by working at a molecular level. The active compound found in CBD hemp creams binds with receptors in our skin to desensitize pain and, in turn, bring relief to its user.
In choosing which hemp cream to use, be very careful and select a hemp cream with CBD. Hemp seed cream does not have any CBD content, so it might not have the same pain management effect that you are after.
If you want to learn and understand more about CBD before making your first purchase, check out our article on the science of CBD and its effects on humans.
