Studies suggest CBD may help relieve inflammation, which is a common perpetrator for chronic back pain. However, CBD may also help relieve tension and anxiety, or restless sleep, all of which are also associated with chronic back pain.
This is why we recommend consuming CBD in two ways simultaneously: directly targeting pain areas with a topical, and ingesting or vaping CBD to battle inflammation and achieve full body relaxation. First, use a strong topical such as a CBD pain cream on the pain area for targeted immediate relief, and massage it in really well. We prefer topicals that also have some natural analgesics / numbing agents such as wintergreen or menthol to help with immediate pain, while CBD builds up in the tissue over time and interacts with the pain receptors. (Pro tip: beware of low quality creams that look like ghostbuster goop 😱)
Secondly, you should complement your topical treatment with ingestion or vaping to get CBD into your bloodstream directly, by consuming a full spectrum CBD Vape or sublingual CBD tincture for full body relief that will amplify the anti-inflammatory properties of the CBD.
You should read more about what makes an amazing CBD pain cream and what to look for when choosing a vape, but for now you just need to decide if you would prefer to vape or use tinctures - vaping has a much higher absorption rate than ingestion since some CBD doesn't make it through your digestive enzymes - BUT we understand that vaping and smoking is not for everyone.
And remember - always look for brands whose products have been tested by a company other than the one selling it! For example, you can find our CBD lab tests, also known as "Certificates of Analysis," clearly listed on our website.
Next, an incredible tool to help with back and neck pain is an acupressure mat. These mats have little plastic spikes that you lay on for 10-20 minutes. After about 10 minutes your back and neck will heat up from the blood flow that has been triggered. You will find tremendous relief and recovery by utilizing these mats for even just a few days. I recommend laying bare skin on the mat in the morning or before bed while listening to a guided meditation or audiobook. You can thank us later! 😉
For those looking to make a larger time and monetary commitment to this form of therapy, many of our customers have found fantastic results from traditional acupuncture and regular massages as well. These treatments get a little pricey whereas the acupressure mats are $20 on Amazon and can be used daily from your home, so this is an awesome and affordable way to get blood flow to your problem areas!
Finally, do everything you can to learn about physical therapy for your back, shoulders and neck. We live in an incredible time where YouTube can teach us wonders about self care. For example, I learned from a YouTube video from a physical therapist that it is helpful to hang from a pull up bar for 30-60 seconds for three rounds at the end of your workout, and this has helped me tremendously. There are lots of small routines or exercises that take under a minute, but everyone has different preferences and access to equipment, so you should find a few that work for you and try doing them after your workout or after you get out of the shower each day in your living room (when your muscles are warmed up).
You can jumpstart your learning about back exercises with a video by one of the greatest trainers and physical therapists on the web right now - search YouTube for "How to Fix “Low Back” Pain by ATHLEAN-X"
