When you’re struggling with joint pain or muscle pain, you may look for a strong pain relief gel to use in place of oral pain medication.
There are widespread risks present when using oral pain medication, including the potential for heart and stomach problems. Using topical pain relief therefore allows you to minimise the risk of adverse side effects.
Finding the right pain relief gel for your needs can be incredibly complex. Everyone seems to have a hot tip on the latest must-have ingredient, and the debate between difficult to pronounce pharmaceutical ingredients versus all-natural botanical ingredients rages on.
Today, we’re exploring an important question in the topical pain relief industry: does your pain relief gel need to contain CBD? Does this ingredient add anything to the formulation, or does it just make it easier to increase the price?
Understanding Pain Relief Gels
When we experience pain, we’re lucky to be able to reach for pain relief medication such as ibuprofen and paracetamol. However, there are instances where this might not be recommended.
Oral pain medication, and specifically non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), are linked to stomach and heart problems. Anyone with underlying conditions may be reluctant to turn to this kind of pain relief on a regular basis.
For chronic conditions related to joints and muscles, it’s far more effective to reach for a strong pain relief gel. This method of pain relief offers a few distinct advantages:
- Topical application means you can limit use to the affected area
- Pain relief can be instant when you choose one with cooling menthol ingredients
- There is no risk of taking too much
- Side effects are less common, less severe and often short-lived
With so many strong pain relief gels to choose from, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you.
A trial and error approach can be expensive and leave you in pain for longer. Instead, look for products with science-backed evidence alongside anecdotal evidence from real customers.
Benefits of CBD in Pain Relief Gels
There is a lot of debate around the efficacy of CBD and its relevance in pain relief. CBD is a natural ingredient that is derived from the hemp plant.
It has been used for millennia for a wide range of purposes, including pain relief, but we are only recently rediscovering the potential benefits in modern products.
There’s no doubt that some brands have been quick to cash-in on the CBD trend. With this in mind, it’s vital to be discerning in your selection.
For example, look for third-party accreditation that indicates the products are actually effective before you part with your hard-earned cash. Customer testimonials will also help you to identify if the product is likely to be beneficial for your specific needs.
CBD is not a standalone ingredient, which is why we aren’t recommending applying a CBD isolate to the problem area. CBD works in harmony with other botanical ingredients to deliver fast and effective pain relief.
It also supports the body’s natural inflammation process to help address the underlying cause of the pain, rather than temporarily masking the symptoms.
HEMPE Hot and Ice Gels: A Closer Look
So, what does a quality CBD product look like? Our Hot Muscle and Joint Gel and Ice Muscle and Joint Gel offer the ideal introduction to CBD gel.
Choosing between heating and cooling ingredients will often come down to personal preference and the underlying issue that needs to be treated.
Combining the two products into your daily routine can help to address the pain while also delivering beneficial anti-inflammatory ingredients right to the heart of the problem.
Starting with the HEMPE Hot Muscle and Joint Gel, this product contains cannabidiol (CBD), clove oil, menthol, eucalyptus and vitamin E. This soothing blend of ingredients delivers a warming sensation from the moment you apply it.
As this sensation builds, it can help joints to move with greater ease while soothing muscle cramps. The benefits are comparable to what one might experience with hot compress therapy.
Another highly effective method of pain relief is cold therapy. This is where the HEMPE Ice Muscle and Joint Gel comes into play. This fast-absorbing gel contains mint, pine, menthol and laurel. The cooling sensation helps to reduce inflammation and block pain signals.
Comparative Analysis: CBD vs Non-CBD Gels
On the surface, it seems that the warming or cooling sensation in the HEMPE Hot and Ice Gel range come from the essential oils. So why bother to include CBD in the formulation?
CBD is one of the ingredients that, when combined in the right amounts, form the primary source of pain relief in the HEMPE collection of muscle and joint pain gels.
CBD supports a system in the body called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system is responsible for sending messages around the body to help maintain balance, or homeostasis.
It’s essential for managing inflammation response to injury, and a poorly functioning ECS may be linked to certain chronic conditions.
Applying this product directly to the affected area offers targeted relief and support to help modulate inflammation response in a specific region.
Why Choose HEMPE?
CBD has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity since 2019. CBD products have flooded the market and are now available in high street shops such as Holland and Barrett and Boots.
Products containing CBD typically have a higher price point, so you’re going to want to feel confident in your choice. There are a few reasons you might consider HEMPE Hot and Ice Gels over other CBD topical pain relief products.
- HEMPE products are NSF Certified for Sport, which is one of the highest accreditations for sports supplements, including pain relief products.
- Our CBD is free from nasties and compounds that could cause adverse skin reactions.
- Our ‘Plus CBD’ approach allows us to harness the benefits of a wide range of botanicals that work in harmony with your body.
- The choice of heating and cooling ingredients allows you to replicate the benefits of hot and cold therapy for muscle and joint pain without the need for expensive equipment or facilities.
Reviews from real customers further support the positive impact of HEMPE Hot and Ice Pain Relief Gels.
Integrating CBD Gels into Pain Management
Pain management doesn’t have to be a mystery. With the right routine, you can reduce your reliance on oral pain medications and enjoy improved mobility and flexibility.
We recommend a combined approach of using the Hot Gel and Ice Gel throughout the day to maximise the impact. Changing the sensation from hot to cold will also help to avoid becoming so familiar with the sensation that it loses efficacy.
Start your day with the Hot Muscle and Joint Gel, ideally applying it around 15-20 minutes before you start any strenuous activity. This will help to ease sore muscles and joints that may have seized up overnight.
You can reapply the hot pain relief gel throughout the day as required. It is particularly effective for muscle cramps and delivers almost instant relief.
At the end of the day, within one hour of finishing your daily activities, apply the Ice Gel. This gel will help to soothe inflammation that has been building up throughout the day from exertion. This can also help to ease muscle and joint pain before bed, allowing you to enjoy restful and restorative sleep.
Final Thoughts on Topical Pain Relief
If you’ve been burned by a CBD brand before, you might be reluctant to explore the ingredient again.
Adding CBD to a product doesn’t enhance it with magical qualities, and you should be wary of any company making these kinds of promises.
Instead, consider the ingredients offered alongside the CBD. It’s these combinations that deliver magic when it comes to offering relief from painful joints and muscles.
You don’t have to reach for petroleum-based products with a strong medicinal scent to achieve pain relief. Thankfully, these aren’t the only strong pain relief gels available.
If you’re on the fence about CBD for pain relief, consider our sample-size products before you take the plunge. Or head to our reviews to hear from customers like you who have found relief from their pain using topical pain relief.