Part of living an active lifestyle means dealing with the occasional aches and pains. Whether it’s simple muscle fatigue, joint stiffness or minor injuries, these setbacks don’t have to derail your plans.
As we get older, any activity that puts stress on the muscles or joints will lead to some level of inflammation. And being older means that we don’t bounce back quite as quickly.
This could lead you to skip strenuous activity and resign yourself to a bubble-wrapped life – but we know you want more than that. That’s why you’re here, researching the best CBD creams for pain relief.
Having a plan in place to tackle inflammation is one of the best ways to streamline your recovery and enjoy a life with minimal pain and discomfort. Your body is designed for movement, but it also needs a solid recovery plan in place to provide balance.
Painkillers aren’t right for everyone. For starters, they’re a short-term solution to a potentially long-term problem. You’ll experience diminishing returns and might even discover some unpleasant side effects from using over the counter pain medications like ibuprofen.
With this in mind, we’re looking at some natural and topical approaches that will allow you to address your pain without risking adverse side effects.
You might have heard of CBD oil and drops, but topical CBD is fast becoming the treatment of choice to tackle sore muscles, stiff joints and exercise-related inflammation. It could also hold some promise for those living with chronic pain conditions.
What Is CBD Cream and How Does It Work?
To understand the role of CBD in topical pain relief, we first have to understand what it’s even doing in the body. CBD is a compound known as a cannabinoid, which is found in the cannabis plant. Another more well-known cannabinoid is THC, which is what causes a euphoric “high” for cannabis users.
THC behaves in this way because of what happens when it enters the body. It binds to receptor sites in the endocannabinoid system and blocks essential messages getting through. The ECS is involved with things like pain response, inflammation and appetite control.
Hence why cannabis might be used to manage pain and boost appetite for patients going through chemotherapy, for example.
CBD doesn’t trigger the same response in the body. Instead, it supports the ECS to do its job even more effectively. The research is still thin, and one common complaint is that not enough human studies have been completed. But what we have learned so far is very promising.
You have ECS receptors throughout your body, including in your skin, which is why topical CBD can also be effective. Since the ECS is vital in inflammation and pain responses, supporting this system to work as efficiently as possible could pave the way for improved pain management.
Why Choose a CBD Cream Over Oral Pain Relief?
Any time you choose an oral pain medication, it has to pass through the digestive tract before it can get to work. This passes into the bloodstream and then acts on all pain receptors in the body, which should provide relief.
- Paracetamol works by blocking pain messages.
- Ibuprofen works by blocking the production of hormones called prostaglandins that flood the body to trigger inflammation.
There are a number of problems with this approach. First, it takes a whole of body approach, which means you’re treating the whole body as if it were in pain, rather than taking a targeted approach.
Second, it can cause secondary problems with long-term, sustained use. The list of potential side effects for over the counter painkillers is extensive – and this is even worse for opioid-based medications, which can be highly addictive.
This is why those living an active lifestyle who often face pain and discomfort after exercise might look for targeted pain relief that bypasses the stomach.
Athletes with strict training schedules also need to find fast relief from inflammation. In many cases, how you recover from training is just as important as the training itself.
HEMPE Hot & Ice Creams: What Makes Them Stand Out?
Ready to explore CBD creams for pain relief? The first thing to note is that there are different CBD creams for different occasions. Using both throughout the day can help to streamline recovery and keep you fighting fit.
Up first, we have the HEMPE Hot Muscle & Joint Cream. This product is like a gentle warm up for your joints and muscles. It helps to ease you into a day of movement by delivering targeted warmth to areas that might feel stiff or less mobile.
Next, we have the HEMPE Ice Muscle & Joint Cream. This offers a cooling version of the CBD cream, which helps to reduce inflammation following a workout or intense activity. By cooling the area, this helps to constrict blood vessels, which prevents inflammation. It’s akin to strapping a bag of frozen peas to a sore joint, but without the potential mess.
Both products use a plus-CBD approach, so you aren’t just relying on a single botanical compound. The HEMPE Hot Muscle Cream contains warming essential oils, including clove oil, menthol and eucalyptus.
Unlike other CBD warming products, this one does not contain any capsicum extract. Chilli balm works by overwhelming the nerve cells responsible for pain response. It’s essentially a distraction from your pain, not a solution.
The HEMPE Cold Muscle Cream contains menthol, peppermint and pinus sylvestris oil, otherwise known as pine tree oil. This combination delivers a cooling sensation that supports healing from excess inflammation. It’s also excellent for soothing restless legs at night, so you can enjoy a restorative night’s sleep.
How to Use CBD Pain Relief Cream Effectively
Topical CBD is generally considered to be very safe to use, as there are fewer risks associated with liver toxicity when it isn’t passing through the digestive tract. There are ways you can amplify the positive effects of CBD pain relief cream, and it all comes down to how and when you apply it.
A hot muscle cream is best applied before activity to help prepare joints and muscles for movement. If you wake up with soreness or stiffness, then this is the ideal way to start your day.
- Apply a thin layer of the hot muscle cream directly to affected areas and massage the area gently.
- Wait until the area is dry before dressing.
- You can start to introduce some movement by gradually flexing the affected joint. If you’re on a physiotherapy-designed plan, this is the perfect way to start your rehabilitation exercises.
- This product can also be applied to muscles throughout the day if you have muscle cramps. (It’s also highly effective for tackling menstrual cramps).
With the cold muscle cream, it’s all about applying this before inflammation can flare up. This means applying it within 30 minutes of finishing exercise. Treat the cold muscle cream like stretching in this respect – or better still, combine it with stretching for optimum results.
- Within 30 minutes of finishing exercise, apply a thin layer to affected areas.
- Allow this to dry fully before covering the area. Leaving the area exposed can help to amplify the cooling effect.
- You can also apply cold muscle cream before bed to help ease aching muscles and set yourself up for restful sleep.
Using the two products in tandem helps to maximise the benefits and tackle the cause of the problem and the symptoms.
CBD Creams in 2025: Trends and Research
Why are we seeing a shift away from pharmaceutical interventions and towards a more natural, holistic approach? Consumer education and social media trends are helping to drive personal research into different methods for pain relief.
It’s far easier for individuals to share recommendations and to ask for recommendations from their peers. And social media is making our peer groups much larger and more distributed than ever before.
Consumers are proud to be able to do their own research on topics, and this has driven interest in alternative therapies, particularly for pain relief.
Other societal signals have helped to shape this increase in interest and demand. First, we have guidance from the Food Standards Agency, initially published in February 2020. This helped to regulate the industry and give sellers a framework for operating responsibly, which in turn helped to boost consumer confidence.
Organisations such as the World Anti-Doping Agency also confirmed that CBD is not a banned substance for sports back in 2019. This gives athletes the confidence to explore new methods for optimising recovery without concern it could impact their ability to compete.
The NSF Certified For Sport programme also helps to increase transparency and give consumers extra confidence in their choices.
Topical CBD vs Other Formats: What’s Right for You?
Perhaps the biggest issue plaguing the CBD industry at the moment is not a lack of choice, but a surplus of choice. Consumers can quickly become overwhelmed by the options available, including creams, oils, capsules and gummies.
The important thing to remember when it comes to CBD for pain relief is that there is a reason for choosing topical products over ingestible options. The purpose of choosing products applied directly to the skin is to take advantage of the ECS receptors in the skin.
By applying products to the skin, you also avoid the digestive tract and the liver, which reduces the risk of adverse reactions. It also means that you enjoy targeted relief that gets to work as soon as you apply the product.
Topical CBD is an excellent choice for:
- Athletes looking to optimise their recovery
- Active adults who experience joint and muscle pain after strenuous activity
- Those living with chronic pain conditions looking for an alternative solution
Perhaps one of the biggest perks of CBD cream for pain relief is that it helps to address the symptoms while also treating the cause.
Pain and stiffness after exercise can lead to inactivity and avoiding the activities that triggered the pain in the first place.
This can cause the problem to become worse, as the individual will lose strength and flexibility. By keeping the area mobile and continuing with activities, this can help to tackle the underlying cause of the pain and discomfort.
Final Thoughts On CBD Pain Relief Cream
In 2025, there’s no shortage of options for those experiencing pain. While you could take the conventional pharmaceutical route to dull the pain, there is a far better way to address this.
Through the use of hot and cold cream therapy, patients can enjoy targeted relief that gets to work straight away. It’s the equivalent of applying a hot water bottle or an ice pack to an injured area – just a lot more convenient.
If you’re looking for a natural and holistic way to manage joint or muscular pain, the HEMPE Hot Muscle & Joint Cream and the HEMPE Ice Muscle & Joint Cream combo is a great place to start.
Not ready to take the plunge? We also offer sample sizes so you can decide if this pain management solution is right for you.