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Written by Jacky Chou

Best CBD Cream for Pain: Complete Reviews with Comparison

CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is extracted from the cannabis plant, and its popularity has lately been on the rise. Unlike the well-known THC, which is also extracted from cannabis, CBD does not have any active effects (no high produced).

For these reasons, this substance is  increasingly being researched, and many studies correlated the use of CBD with pain relief, among many other benefits to health. This led to an explosion of CBD products on the market – but which one is best and why? Here’s some insight into this matter.

Best CBD Cream for Pain Reviews

CBD Cream by CBDfx

This product uses natural ingredients to relieve your pain efficiently. It contains organic hemp and other natural ingredients derived from plants. If you have any localized pain, this cream might be exactly what you need to relieve it in a natural, chemical-free, and non-toxic way. This product is a great alternative to other drugs and medications on the market, and, apart from treating the local pain, it also nourishes your skin due to natural plant-based components such as white willow bark, menthol, and caffeine.

Product Highlights

The main after effect of this topical CBD cream is that it targets localized pain and uses its natural ingredients to relieve it. The main component is hemp, along with other pain relievers derived from plants. This product is a great choice if you also have inflammation or skin-related issues on your legs, back, shoulders, or extended areas of the body.

It is GMO-free, and it contains 150mg of organic hemp in a 50ml container, along with small amounts of caffeine, which will stimulate the blood circulation in the area, reducing inflammation. Additionally, white willow bark and menthol are well-known for their analgesic abilities. Lastly, this CBD cream is tested for both purity and quality by third-party labs (independent).

The Good

What makes this product one of the top choices is the extra addition of natural ingredients. By adding caffeine, menthol, and white willow bark, this cream is a complete and complex product made to relieve pain quickly and efficiently. The menthol will create a pleasant, relaxing feeling of soft warmth, which is a welcome benefit when you are in pain.

Additionally, this cream is tested by independent laboratories, and all test results for purity and quality are publicly available. For instance, the information available confirms that every product contains 150mg of CBD per bottle – actually, they confirm it is 158.5mg, ensuring high quality of the product.

The Bad

Although it is difficult to spot any wrongs with this CBD cream, some might complain that the CBD is not always locally grown, although it is organic. This cream will not leave your skin feeling greasy like other products, and this might be quite beneficial for some who dislike the greasy feeling. Lastly, the cream is not meant to be used on the face – it recommends usage only on large body parts, such as shoulders, back, and legs.

PROS

  • Third-party tested for quality
  • Minimum 150mg CBD in each bottle
  • Additional ingredients
  • Warm tingling due to menthol
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Organic hemp
  • Plant-based ingredients

CONS

  • Less CBD compared to other products
  • Menthol smell
  • A small container of 50ml
  • Not for small body areas

Medix CBD Pain Cream

Medix CBD Pain Cream is our second choice for the best CBD cream due to its similar features. It combines similar natural ingredients, such as organic hemp, along with aloe extract, menthol, CBD, green tea extract, white bark extract, among others.

Product Highlights

Medix CBD pain cream is a creamy formula that contains only natural, organic, and plant-based ingredients. It doesn’t have any sulfates or parabens, and it relieves pain by directly targeting the areas of pain, such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

The organic hemp will provide you with pain relief for an extended period of time. It is specially created to be used on sore areas, including muscles. The product is derived from raw hemp oil, and it is a powerful combination to relieve pain in a 100% natural way.

The Good

This topical cream works wonders on sore areas, including muscle spasms or joint pain. It contains any natural ingredients, so there is no side effect for your health, and you can apply it as often as you wish. The small container can be kept in a pocket or a purse and carry around with you, within easy reach.

The Bad

Similar to our top product, this cream will leave you with a warm or cooling effect on the area it is applied due to the menthol and peppermint ingredients. It also comes in a small one-size container, so if you suffer from constant pain, the package size might be quite bothering after some time. Lastly, it is only available online, and it is quite pricey.

PROS

  • Locally grown hemp (Kentucky)
  • Third-party lab tests available
  • Natural and organic ingredients
  • Extra ingredients to provide relief
  • Can be used for muscle spasms and joint pain

CONS

  • Contains menthol
  • Small, one-size container
  • Not available in physical stores

FABCBD Topical CBD Cream

This product is an excellent choice if you want a sturdier, long-lasting container. It contains four times more CBD – 600mg – than other product on our list, and the hemp is full-spectrum, which makes it more efficient. It is also locally grown hemp, and the cream is lightly scented due to the blood orange extract.

Product Highlights

This topical cream contains 600mg of full-spectrum, locally grown, and 100% organic hemp extract. It has a 12-month life, and it is best kept at room temperature. Make sure you avoid warm temperatures, extra moisture, and light. This product contains CBD oil, which is well-known for its ability to reduce daily stress, speed up recovery from physical exercises, and inflict a sense of calm and focus. Due to the completely natural ingredients, the cream might have different colors between products. This occurs naturally as they contain no additives or dyes, which would make the color of all the products uniform.

The Good

The cream is quickly absorbed by the skin, and it targets fast and efficiently the painful areas. If you experience or have experienced extreme pain which leaves you numb, this cream can help you to eliminate the numbness, along with the pain itself. The best part is the mild blood orange scent, which also gives it a pleasant feel.

The Bad

The only drawback of this cream is the polysorbate 60 ingredient. This component is, in general, considered low-risk and safe, and it is often used in numerous cosmetic and skincare products. However, some studies identified the links between the use of polysorbate 60 and organ system toxicity.

PROS

  • 100% natural ingredients
  • Locally grown hemp
  • Non-GMO
  • Relieves pain
  • Aloe vera and cocoa butter
  • Pleasant smell due to blood orange extract
  • Easy to apply

CONS

  • The recommended dosage is not clear
  • Orders take long to arrive
  • Includes polysorbate 60

Hempbombs 4oz CBD Pain Rub

This product is a hemp bomb chosen specially for its abilities to quickly ease pain and inflammation, provide relief for muscle cramps and aches. The product offers an instant feeling of relief due to a cooling sensation and works quickly towards the source of pain.

Product Highlights

This product has no side effects and can also be associated with the treatment of many skin conditions apart from pain, such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis. The cream also has antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal effects, providing you with a broad spectrum of benefits. The product can be applied a maximum four times per day, using only a finger scoop of the gel. The amount can be adjusted to cover the entire area of soreness.

The product comes either in 50mg tubes or 400mg (1oz. or 4 oz.). It will quickly relieve your aches, muscle pain, inflammation caused by sunburn, arthritis, fibromyalgia, or recovery after physical exercise. The tea tree oil in its composition helps with both cooling relief sensation, but also nourishes and moisturizes the skin. Independent, third-party laboratories also test this product for quality.

The Good

This product is ideal both for acute and chronic pain. Its broad application spectrum includes muscle pain, joint pain, and many other conditions, including osteoarthritis and arthritis. Milder skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis can also be efficiently treated with this product, along with burns, recovery after workouts, and fibromyalgia.

The Bad

The product has few drawbacks – but one of them, associated with most CBD creams, is the cooling sensation due to the menthol used in their composition. The product also has a specific smell because it does not contain any perfumes or additives to modify the natural ingredients’ own scent. It can be applied up to 4 times per day, which means that the relief will not last for long in some cases.

PROS

  • Third-party tested for purity and quality
  • Great value for money
  • 100% free of THC
  • Non-GMO
  • Organic American hemp
  • 1 oz. or 4 oz. sizes available
  • Large application spectrum

CONS

  • Menthol feeling

500 Topical Cream by CBD American Shaman

500 Topical Cream is supplied by CBD American Shaman. The product contains ultra-concentrated CBD hemp oil rich in terpene. Each 60ml of cream contains 250mg of CBD. Apart from this, the 100% natural ingredients include vitamins A, D and E oil, and aloe vera gel.

Product Highlights

The product contains highly concentrated, organic, and locally grown hemp oil. All-natural ingredients include a series of vitamins that are beneficial for your skin. The product is extremely efficient for muscle pain and cramps, joint inflammation, along with nourishing ingredients such as aloe vera. The cream is free of GMO ingredients and other lab-created components. Due to the entirely natural ingredients, the cream has no side effects. It is incredibly efficient for a broad spectrum of conditions.

The Good

This product contains highly concentrated non-GMO hemp oil. Third-party laboratories test the amount of CBD, and the product itself for quality and purity and the publicly available data on the producer’s website show that there are no insecticides or heavy metals used in producing this cream. Apart from CBD, the cream contains aloe vera and a range of vitamins. If you are not a fan of thick creams, this is the ideal product for you as it spreads very easily, and it can be used as often as necessary; you only need a drop of the cream on the painful area.

The Bad

This is perhaps our most expensive product, although it does have a high concentration of CBD and hemp oil. The positive part is that the company has a 45-day money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied, so you can get your money back if you are not happy with the results. Additionally, the cream can be spread easily, but it feels quite greasy on the skin, and the absorption is not as fast – this is because of the high concentration of hemp oil in its composition.

PROS

  • The highest concentration of CBD and hemp oil
  • Spreads easily
  • Only 100% natural ingredients
  • Third-party tested
  • 45-day money-back guarantee

CONS

  • Expensive
  • Greasy feeling

BUYER'S GUIDE

Before buying any products, there are a few things you should be aware of. Here we look at the key features that you need to keep in mind when buying CBD cream for pain.

Ingredients

Our recommended products include all-natural and organic ingredients. For the treatment of pain, you might want to go for creams that contain menthol as well, which will provide you with a relieving, cooling feeling as soon as you apply the cream, and this will also help the blood circulation in the area. White willow bark extract and coffee are also popular ingredients that will help reduce skin inflammation.

Others include a wide range of natural extracts – aloe vera, tea tree, and vitamins – all great for the health of your skin and body. You might want to look for any unnatural ingredients, such as polysorbate 60, if you are looking for an all-natural product. This ingredient is, however, used in many other products for skincare, but some studies linked it to organ system toxicity.

Recommended Use

All the creams should be applied topically (on the skin), avoiding eyes and mucous membranes – do not ingest or inhale the products. Most of the creams are recommended for use every 4 hours or up to 4 times a day, depending on how severe the pain is, and also, it depends on specific factors.

Not all people are the same, so the effects will slightly differ. You can start with a small amount of cream and increase the amount gradually if the pain remains. You should go for a trial and error approach until you find out what works best for you.

Side Effects

CBD topical creams are free of side effects. They only contain natural ingredients, and they can be used any other moisturizing cream. CBD is a component found in the cannabis plant (marijuana), but it is not psychoactive; THC is the psychoactive component that produces the ‘high’ effects. THC is usually tested for, and some products might contain minimal traces of it due to the extraction process – which has no impact on the body.

Certified and Tested

Third-party independent laboratories should test all products. They check quality, purity, adherence to the stated amount of CBD and hemp inside, and also tested for traces of THC.

Price

These products are quite high-budget, although reasonably so. All ingredients are organic and natural, which makes them more expensive than topical creams that contain numerous toxic chemicals. The price range should be between $40 and $100+, depending on the size of the container, how concentrated it is, and of course, producer price.

F.A.Q.

How do you use CBD cream for pain?

Firstly, you should always check the instructions the cream comes with and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Most brands, if not all, will advise you to use a portion of the cream, about the size of your fingertip to spread on the affected area. This depends on how large the area is; for instance, you might need more cream for the entire back than using it on your shoulder.

Massage the cream on the painful area gently so that the cream can be absorbed by the skin. You should avoid any mucous membranes. It is recommended to start with a small amount of cream in the beginning and wait for your body’s response for approximately 30 minutes – if the pain is still there, you can apply more.

How long does it take CBD cream to work for pain?

CBD products have been reported to act differently for people. The main reason is that our bodies are all different and it might take less time for some people than others. The most common differences are those between men and women – women need less cream and take less to get pain relief from CBD products compared to men. When you use these products, make sure you start with a small amount of cream and increase it gradually until you get the desired level of comfort.

This trial and error poses no threat to your health; however, the results of CBD products are based on the quality of the product, the concentration, how you deliver it, among others, thus it is difficult to establish a set time frame. Most people agree that it should work within half an hour maximum.

Is CBD oil or a CBD topical better for pain?

CBD topical ointments are usually used to treat localized pain, while CBD oil (sublingual applications – you keep the CBD oil under your tongue or just ingest it) is often associated with treating anxiety, insomnia, depression, mental disorders, eliminating stress and providing a calming feeling. CBD topical ointments also have a broad range of uses, apart from pain, including psoriasis, eczema, itching, and acne, among others.

If you suffer from these conditions or the pain is very strong, you can combine both CBD oil and CBD topical cream. The natural ingredients in these products have no side effects, they are not psychoactive (such as THC, the other component of cannabis which produces the ‘high’ effect), so they can be used any time of the day without impacting daily activities.

Should I consult a medical health professional before applying CBD cream?

Unless you have serious concerns with neurological conditions, CBD cream is not known to have any side effects. CBD in other forms can help with numerous mental disorders by inducing a calm feeling and alleviating depression, insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, among others.

While not required, you might want to discuss with a medical health professional about CBD benefits and impacts, especially if you plan to introduce this substance in your daily routine for the long term.

Is there any area on the body I should not apply the CBD cream?

CBD cream is not meant for inhaling, ingesting, or being applied too close to your eyes. Avoid any mucous membranes. Hemp or CBD oils are specially created to be ingested, so you might want to look into that if you plan to use CBD for other than localized pain on your skin.

Usually, CBD cream is applied on joints (such as knees, wrists), on the back, on feet (soles, heels), face to treat acne and eczema, neck and shoulders, arms, chest, and legs – any area on the body. Make sure to apply a small amount of cream on these areas as some products have quite a high concentration of CBD and hemp oil, and a little will go a long way – or adjust progressively.

FINAL VERDICT

Overall, CBD creams might go a long way if you have pain or skin conditions. Their main advantage is that they contain only 100% natural and organic ingredients, and a result of this is the lack of side effects. If you are concerned with the impact of traditional creams and gels for skin and their long-term adverse effects on your health, CBD ointments are a quick, healthy, and efficient way to solve many of the issues.

In conclusion, the CBD creams can be safely used on your skin to target muscle pain, muscle cramps, joint pain, and other localized types of pain. All you need to do is cover the affected area with a reasonable amount of cream. We hope you have managed to find the best CBD cream for pain to help you live a happier, more pain-free life.

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