How Quickly Does CBD Cream Work on Joint Pain?

Joint pain affects millions of Americans. From conditions like arthritis to injuries and everything in between, joint pain can be caused by hundreds of environmental, genetic and physiological factors. Sometimes, your OTC painkillers just aren’t enough to ease the pain and allow you to go about your daily routine. That's where CBD cream comes in.

CBD is not only a natural painkiller, but it is also a versatile compound that can be synthesized into creams, oils, tinctures, edibles and more. What is CBD though? What does it do, and how can it help your joint pain? Don’t worry, we’ll clarify everything in this short guide. 

You’ll learn how the cream works, how long it takes, and why it’s safe to use and preferred by millions of Americans. What are you waiting for? Keep reading to learn more!

Why CBD Cream?
With pills, tinctures and other CBD products on the market, why would you choose CBD cream? For starters, CBD cream is specifically designed for localized pain and discomfort, such as the pain from arthritis. Often, the tissue underneath the skin is the target of inflammation, so the fastest route to those tissues or cartilage is via the skin. 

If you take a CBD pill, it will need to pass through your digestive system. This can take several hours, especially if you’ve just eaten. While the effects may last longer, the CBD will be more spread out via the bloodstream, and therefore less effective at treating localized pain. 

Applying CBD cream allows the CBD to pass through the subcutaneous layer via blood vessels and interact directly with the afflicted area. 

How Does It Work?
How does CBD work, anyway? CBD is a cannabinoid, which is a natural compound found in Cannabis. Cannabis is home to over 100 cannabinoids, and our bodies actually produce their own known as endocannabinoids. The human nervous system is actually set up to receive cannabinoids, containing CB1 and CB2 receptors for that purpose. 

Interestingly enough, CBD doesn’t actually interact directly with our cannabinoid receptors like its cousin, THC. While researchers are still uncertain just how CBD interacts with the nervous system, what is clear is that it’s an excellent pain killer and anti-inflammatory. 

Inflammation is created when specific proteins activate in immune cells, causing vasodilation and increased blood flow to the affected area. This is why inflammation causes swelling, pain and redness. It’s a defense mechanism, albeit an uncomfortable one. 

CBD is thought to help reduce this immune response, thus reducing inflammation and the pain that comes with it. CBD is also a vasodilator, so it won’t stop the crucial blood flow to the afflicted area; it simply reduces the severity of the inflammation and regulates the body’s pain response. 

When Can I Expect Results?
How quickly your body responds to your CBD cream depends on a number of factors. The dose you’re taking, your body’s individual response and how often you use your CBD all affect how quickly you begin to feel relief. 

If you’re a regular CBD user, you can probably expect to see results within an hour of applying your CBD cream. Some users get relief almost immediately, however – it just depends. 

What Makes Good CBD Cream?
The quality of your CBD cream is certainly a factor in how well and how fast it works. Lower-quality creams won’t deliver the same effects and will take longer to work (if they even work at all). Good CBD cream is sourced from high-quality CBD (which is usually extracted from organic hemp) and is lab-tested to ensure quality and potency. 

A brand that is transparent about its processes usually carries higher-quality products. Think about it; would you trust someone who didn’t tell you how their products are made, or didn’t give information on ingredients? Of course not, because it would feel like they were hiding something. 

Choose a brand that’s transparent, honest and open about where their hemp is grown, how they extract their CBD, and where their products are sent for lab testing. 

Is CBD Legal? 
This question almost always comes up, so let’s answer it here! Yes, CBD is legal as long as you’re buying broad-spectrum products. These contain a broad spectrum of cannabinoids but don’t contain THC, which is illegal at the federal level. 

Full-spectrum creams, oils, and edibles do contain THC, so be sure to watch your labels to avoid buying something that could potentially cause you some trouble. As of 2018, hemp and CBD are legal at the federal level. This is great news for a plant that has been the subject of nearly 50 years of pointless persecution. After all, hemp is so low in THC content it doesn’t even create a “high.” 

While many states have legalized the cousin of hemp and CBD, THC, that doesn’t mean it’s legal at the federal level. Many people choose CBD because it offers similar benefits to its cousin, without the impairment that follows a “high.”

Is CBD Safe?
Another question that usually arises is whether or not CBD oil is safe. So far, the research has shown that CBD is completely safe for human use. The only negative side-effects we know of are dry mouth, fatigue, diarrhea, mood changes and appetite changes (which are pretty common side effects of eating specific foods, to be fair). These are quite minor when you compare them to certain prescription painkillers and OTC treatments! 

You can use CBD on a daily basis without having to worry about overdoses, organ damage or misuse. In fact, even taking too much CBD only creates symptoms like fatigue and appetite suppression. The bottom line? CBD is one of the safest and most reliable painkillers, inflammation relievers and general health supplements available. 

Conclusion 
If you’re thinking of using CBD cream for your joint pain, you’re making an important decision. You can ditch the potential dangers of medications and take back control of your health with a more natural approach to pain and inflammation management. Just be sure you’re buying high-quality creams or oils so you can get the best CBD experience! Good luck and enjoy.