CBD and Arnica for Anti-Inflammatory Cream

There are quite a few new types of topical ointment on the market infused with cannabidiol. 

Topical CBD is trending; various brands have been noticing the demand. So it’s only natural for CBD enthusiasts to get down to business and discover the legitimacy of these products. Whether you’re an athlete or simply trying to heal, there’s something for you. ​

There are also vegan, non-GMO, and cruelty-free offerings out there as well. These CBD topicals that we offer at Revival use the homeopathic arnica in conjunction with cannabidiol. 

Today we’re discussing the relationship between the two and why a topical would contain either of the compounds. 

Many manufacturers in this field have made bold claims that these topicals can help alleviate acute pain and muscle soreness. CBD is similar to THC, except it’s non-psychoactive, meaning some researchers view it as the golden child of medicinal use. 

Science has confirmed that cannabis is an effective pain reliever, reinforced in a massive new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. However, there’s a big difference between ingesting cannabis or its chemicals orally and absorbing it through your skin. Here, the lowdown on this new crop (no pun intended) of pain relievers.

What exactly is a CBD-infused topical cream?

The ointment is created by infusing high-quality hemp flowers in some quality oil-coconut, or olive typically-which extracts the active compounds, either CBD, THC, or both depending on the type of hemp used. Many oils on the market are then blended with other therapeutic herbs or essential oils. 

The reason being is that they are also well-known pain relievers. More on that later.

If you read the ingredient list, there’s a good bit of organic material included. This is the first thing to look out for when perusing CBD muscle creams. Formulas with entirely organic compounds are on the safe side. This is because they have been formulated to be topical-absorbing into the top layer of skin-and, not transdermal-which would pass through the skin and into your bloodstream. When we think of substances in spray-on sunscreen lotions, there are often traces of many inorganic compounds. Is this where the condition white-lung has originated? The spray-on cream is inhaled and goes straight to the bloodstream. 

Where does arnica fit? 

Since there’s no regulation or standardized testing, your best bet is to find trustworthy brands who use creams free of toxins but with additional pain relievers like menthol, capsaicin, lemongrass, or camphor. Arnica is among those naturally occurring pain relievers. 

Arnica is known to treat bruises, sprains, muscle soreness, and muscle spasms often associated with sports activity. Arnica is also used to treat muscular aches, joint pain, and arthritis. It is believed that the arnica plant has anti-inflammatory properties.

So where should consumers be concerned when it comes to arnica and CBD?

There’s practically no scientific data to support the idea that a CBD-infused topical cream is any more effective than other topical pain relievers, like Tiger Balm, BenGay, or Icy Hot. The primary evidence that muscle creams with cannabidiol are working is only reports from those who have experienced them firsthand. 

Recent studies and papers have been published in the Journal of Pain Research which confirms that topical use of certain cannabinoid topicals can reduce pain in animals with inflammation or neuropathic pain. Other scientific reports discuss topical creams with THC and CBD help relieve pain for conditions like multiple sclerosis. However, for the vast majority of chronic pain-and most certainly for acute pain, such as post-workout soreness, the scientific jury is 100 percent still out.

Proper Application of CBD Muscle Cream

Since the jury is still out on the total effectiveness of these creams, it’s crucial to use cbd products properly. Topical creams will treat anatomical structures within 1 centimeter of the skin. So the muscle must be adequately targeted, and in some cases, this is not going to be possible. This is where oral cannabidiol could be useful. 

However, fatty tissue can only take on so much oil. Extrapolating that idea, it means that in theory, enough CBD-infused topical cream might slowly transfer down into your skeletal muscle just out of diffusion. This is based on little evidence at the moment. 

At this time, there is no regulation around how much active CBD or THC is in each cream or how much of the compound is needed to see relief. 

Hopefully, the popularity of these creams and oils will mitigate more research and give us the answers to these kinds of questions.