Best CBD Cream for Pain: Top Brands of 2022
Ease your pain with CBD
Sponsored by The CBD Break November 2, 2022
CBD can be used in many ways. But if you need relief from localized pain, then CBD creams might just be the product for you. Our guide to the best CBD cream for pain and inflammation will help you learn about some of the best ones in the market.
CBD is often used for pain and inflammation, both superficial and internal. When used as topical creams, salves, or balms, it’s found to be quite effective for localized issues such as:
• Muscle cramps • Joint Pain • Areas of skin irritation caused by allergies, inflammation, acne, or eczema
Since CBD has skyrocketed in popularity, a rash of brands and products have flooded the market. So, it may not be that easy to identify the best CBD creams or topicals for pain and inflammation.
Nonetheless, we’ve been able to compare a wealth of brands and narrow them down to the top ten best CBD creams that you’ll read more about below.
Our Top 10 Brands of CBD Cream for Pain
Here are our Top Finalists for Best CBD Creams for Pain:
1. Fab CBD — Most Potent Cream 2. Plus CBD — Solid Strength Options 3. CBDistillery — Strong Product Variety 4. Joy Organics — Best Organic Cream 5. Green Roads — Pharmacist Formulated Creams 6. MedTerra — Most Sustainable 7. Cheef Botanicals — Intriguing Selection 8. cbdMD — Unique Product Line 9. CBDPure — Best Products for New Consumers 10. Lazarus Naturals — Best Hemp Creams
How We Chose the Brands of CBD Cream for Pain
In choosing our brands for the best CBD cream for pain, we knew we needed to take quite a few things into consideration. The overwhelming number of brands and products in the market pushed us to put together a strict list of criteria to measure each of them up against.
Some of the aspects we looked for in our brands for CBD cream for pain were:
• Product Quality • Brand Reputation • Independent Lab Testing • Customer Reviews • Product Pricing
After narrowing our list down, we were able to come up with our top 10 CBD cream brands that we present to you down below.
10 Best CBD Creams for Pain and Inflammation in 2022
#1 FAB CBD - Most Potent Cream
Since 2017, FAB CBD has been pushing the envelope to create pure and potent products. In fact, the brand’s Topical CBD Cream is highly effective in calming down tough muscle and joint aches and pains. FAB CBD is a highly transparent brand that creates top-shelf products so customers can live a preventative wellness lifestyle. The FAB CBD team has years of experience in the health and wellness space, so they know what it takes to put forth superior CBD products.
• Hemp Source — Organic Colorado hemp. • About the CBD Cream — FAB CBD creates an effective blood orange scented, full-spectrum cream that contains 600mg of CBD per jar. • Extraction Method — Industry-preferred CO2 extraction process. • Effectiveness — FAB CBD’s Topical CBD Cream is silky, light, effective, and highly potent against tough muscle and joint aches and pains. • Third-Party Lab Reports — All products are tested by an independent lab for potency and purity.
#2 PlusCBD — Solid Strength Options
PlusCBD has been improving the health of its customers since 2012. The brand makes unique and innovative products using agricultural hemp that’s grown and harvested in Europe. PlusCBD uses the CO2 extraction method to obtain its pure and potent extracts, and all products are routinely tested by an independent lab for potency and purity. Customers can read all lab reports on the brand’s website.
• Hemp Source — The brand crafts its products from agricultural hemp that’s grown in Europe. • About the CBD Cream — PlusCBD makes a strong selection of CBD creams including 500mg full-spectrum Pain Relief Cream, 1000mg full-spectrum CBD Pain Relief Penetrating Cream, and 750mg full-spectrum Pain Relief Arthritis Cream. All creams contain camphor and menthol. • Extraction Method — Industry preferred CO2 extraction method. • Effectiveness — The brand has three different creams in different strengths, so consumers have many options for their tough to treat chronic or acute pain. • Third-Party Lab Reports — All products tested by an independent lab.
#3 CBDistillery — Strong Product Variety
CBDistillery first made its way into the industry in 2016 after a group of CBD-loving Colorado natives were unhappy with the number of poor quality products that saturated the market. To this day, the brand makes a solid array of top-quality products that include CBD topicals, full-spectrum oils, softgels, gummies, pet products, and CBD isolate powder. All of CBDistillery’s products are made from non-GMO industrial hemp that was grown and harvested using organic farming practices.
• Hemp Source — CBDistillery uses non-GMO industrial hemp grown in Colorado using natural farming methods. • About the CBD Cream — CBDistillery makes a CBD isolate 500mg and 1000mg CBD Relief Stick that contains menthol to cool sore muscles and joints, a 500mg CBD isolate CBD Warming Cream that contains a warming component to help bring soothing relief, and a 500mg CBD isolate • CBD Cooling Cream that contains a cooling component to provide targeted pain relief. • Extraction Method — Industry preferred CO2 extraction process. • Effectiveness — CBDistillery’s products are clean, pure, and potent. • Third-Party Lab Reports — All products are tested by a third-party lab for potency and purity.
#4 Joy Organics — Best Organic Cream
Joy Smith founded Joy Organics in 2018 after struggling with her own chronic health issues. Smith, who tried CBD products from many other brands without much success, wanted to create products that were potent, pure, and effective. To this day, the brand is best known for being a solid, transparent brand that makes clean and potent products
• Hemp Source — The brand partners with other licensed growers and manufacturers in Oregon, Colorado, and Montana. • About the CBD Cream — Joy Organics makes a 1000mg CBD Sports Cream that contains a blend of menthol and camphor to help heat and cool painful joints and muscles. • Extraction Method — The CO2 extraction method is used to obtain clean and potent extracts. • Effectiveness — Joy Organics makes clean and effective products. • Third-Party Lab Reports — All products tested by an independent third-party laboratory.
#5 Green Roads — Pharmacist Formulated Creams
Green Roads was founded in 2013 by Laura Fuentes, a compounding pharmacist. Fuentes teamed up with a dear friend who was struggling with his own chronic health issues to create pure and potent products that would help him, their friends and family, and their community. As they saw the success of their products takeoff, they opened up sales to the general public. Today, the brand keeps three pharmacists on staff to oversee product formulation and manufacturing. Green Roads makes full-spectrum, broad spectrum, and CBD isolate products.
• Hemp Source — Hemp that’s grown throughout the United States. • About the CBD Cream — Green Roads has lots of variety when it comes to CBD cream. The brand makes Broad Spectrum Pain Relief CBD Cream in 150mg, 350mg, or 750mg that’s geared to help with tough muscle aches and pains, and CBD isolate Muscle & Joint Relief Cream in 750mg strength. • Extraction Method — CO2 extraction process. • Effectiveness — All products are made to be effective at treating painful muscles and joints. • Third-Party Lab Reports — All products tested by an independent third-party lab.
#6 MedTerra — Most Sustainable
MedTerra is involved seed to sale in the product creation process. The brand has a long-time partnership with the Hemp Pilot Program and because of this, it’s able to make its products available both domestically and abroad. MedTerra also employs a team of experts in food-grade compound extraction, vegetable genetics, quality control, and best farming methods. MedTerra works hard to educate consumers about the healing benefits of the hemp plant and of the CBD products that are made from it.
• Hemp Source — The brand uses hemp from a Kentucky farm that has been registered with that state’s Department of Agriculture. • About the CBD Cream — MedTerra makes its 500mg CBD isolate Pain Relief Cream with arnica and menthol to target sore backs, stiff necks, and areas of arthritis and joint pain. • Extraction Method — Industry preferred CO2 extraction method. • Effectiveness — Meterra also uses clean, top-quality ingredients, as well as the industry-preferred Co2 extraction process to obtain its extracts. This ensures that the products are potent, clean, and effective. • Third-Party Lab Reports — All products tested by an independent lab.
#7 Cheef Botanicals — Intriguing Selection
Cheef Botanicals loves to educate others about the healing benefits of CBD. The brand was first founded by a group of cannabis plant lovers that had over 25 years of experience in the organic food space. The founders started the brand out of concern that the state of California lacked health-centered, plant-based cannabis products. Every product that Cheef Botanicals makes is vegan, organic, dairy-free, gluten free, cruelty-free, and non-GMO.
• Hemp Source — The brand uses hemp through a partnership with farms in Colorado. • About the CBD Cream — Cheef Botanicals makes its full-spectrum CBD Body Lotion in 200mg and 800mg strengths. The product comes in Cucumber Melon and Orange Bliss scents. • Extraction Method — CO2 extraction method. • Effectiveness — Cheef Botanicals’ CBD Body Lotion is great at providing relief from pain and keeping skin soft and supple. • Third-Party Lab Reports — All products routinely tested by a third-party lab and posted on the brand’s website.
#8 cbdMD — Unique Product Line
cbdMD uses a combination of innovation, knowledgeable customer service, and a high-quality selection of products to give consumers the cleanest and most potent products in today’s market. The brand makes products that are THC-free and even specifies on its website that its special manufacturing process is the only one in the industry that’s able to preserve the integrity of the hemp plant while eliminating all traces of THC from its products. cbdMD also offers a 60-day, money-back guarantee on its products.
• Hemp Source — cbdMD’s hemp comes from farms in both Kentucky and Colorado. The brand also owns and operates its own production and lab facilities. • About the CBD Cream — cbdMD makes Broad Spectrum CBD Recover Cream in a tub or pump in strengths of 750mg or 1500mg. The cream is unique in that it’s made with histamine dihydrochloride to evoke a warming sensation, arnica, aloe vera, MSM, and essential oils. The cream is also available in a 3000mg pup applicator. • Extraction Method — Ethanol extraction process. • Effectiveness — Customers say that cbdMD’s products are extremely effective at handling tough muscle and joint aches and pains. • Third-Party Lab Reports — All products tested by a third-party lab.
#9 CBDPure — Best Products for New Consumers
CBDPure is involved in the growing and producing of top-quality full-spectrum CBD products that are made from certified organic industrial Colorado and Washington hemp sources. The brand’s products are free from herbicides and pesticides. CBDPure also states on its webpage that the genetics of the hemp plant that it uses for its CBD extracts is chosen for its high CBD content. All of the brand’s products are tested by an independent lab for quality and potency. CBDPure is involved with the product creation process from seed to sale.
• Hemp Sources — All of the organic industrial hemp is sourced from Colorado and Washington. • About the CBD Cream — The brand makes its full-spectrum 500mg CBD Muscle and Joint Formula with menthol and white willow bark to help combat tough pain. • Extraction Method — Industry preferred CO2 extraction method. • Effectiveness — CBDPure’s Muscle and Joint Formula CBD cream contains 250mg of full-spectrum CBD. It’s also made with menthol and white willow bark to help boost the cream’s overall effectiveness. The formula is light and non-greasy and has received strong reviews from verified customers. • Third-Party Lab Reports — The brand uses an independent lab to regularly test each product.
#10 Lazarus Naturals — Best Hemp Creams
Lazarus Naturals creates top-quality, clean, effective products that are affordable and competitively priced. The brand’s founders believe that CBD should be affordable to everyone despite their financial circumstances. Lazarus Naturals uses organic hemp from Central Oregon to craft all of its products. Those products are then tested by an independent lab for herbicides, heavy metals, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals, as well as CBD potency levels. Interestingly, the brand also obtains all of its extracts through a cryogenic ethanol extraction process.
• Hemp Source — The brand uses organic hemp from Central Oregon. • About the CBD Cream — Lazarus Naturals has a wide selection of CBD lotions, balms, and gels. But its full-spectrum CBD Lotion contains high-potency CBD, jojoba oil, and vitamin E to help nourish skin and combat pain. The lotion comes fragrance free and in Pacific Pine scent and in potencies of 5000mg and 1500mg of CBD. • Extraction Method — Cryogenic ethanol extraction process. • Effectiveness — The brand’s CBD Lotion softens skin and helps calm down localized areas of pain on the body. • Third-Party Lab Reports — All products tested by a third-party lab.
What is CBD Cream?
CBD creams are like any other topical cream or lotion, but with the added benefit of natural cannabinoids and terpenes that make pain relief easier to attain. Some CBD topicals contain essential oils that are not only effective aromatherapy agents, but may also quicken the healing process. Creams can come in varying thicknesses, scents, and potencies.
How Does CBD Cream Work?
Like any other topicals, CBD creams need to be applied on the surface of the skin on areas where you’re experiencing skin irritation, rashes or inflammations, or musculoskeletal pain or inflammation. The CBD then will directly enter into the skin, muscle, and joints to help provide an almost instant sensation of relief. An added advantage of using CBD creams is that unlike CBD oils or other types of CBD products that are taken internally, you don’t have to worry about cannabinoids interacting with any prescription medication that you may be on.
How Does CBD Cream Help with Pain and Inflammation?
CBD cream helps with inflammation by working with your endocannabinoid system, or ECS. This specialized system contains receptors, endocannabinoids, and enzymes that work together to help bring the body back into a state of balance. When the ECS is depleted, taking CBD can help give it a much needed boost. When you massage CBD cream into your skin, the cannabinoids in CBD bind to the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the muscle tissue, skin, and nerves. This action helps to alleviate pain and inflammation.
How to Use CBD Cream for Pain?
Using CBD cream for pain is fairly straightforward. If you’re experiencing an area of soreness or discomfort, simply massage some CBD cream into the affected area. You should start to feel some relief within 20 to 30 minutes, give or take. You can re-apply the cream as often as needed without worry. CBD topicals usually contain essential oils that quickly seep through your skin to reach the affected areas, without entering your blood circulation. In fact, it doesn’t impact any other part of your body.
All you need to do is take a tiny dollop of the cream or a small squeeze of the lotion (for pump bottles), dab it on the affected area, and rub it gently but thoroughly into the skin. This ensures the substance enters the subcutaneous surface of the skin and gets evenly distributed among the cells over and under the skin. The oils in the cream transport the CBD to the cannabinoid receptors under your skin and muscles. These receptors interact with the CBD to give you almost instant relief.
CBD creams can be widely used before or after any physical exertion or before bedtime, depending on why you’re using it. Each brand of CBD topical comes in different strengths. Their usage and dosage depend on the user’s requirement. Just like every other CBD product, it is best to start low and go slow. Nevertheless, most brands suggest an approximate dosage on their label. CBD creams with higher strengths will suggest the use of less quantity than those with a lower concentration, indicating that creams with high CBD-content are more effective.
CBD Oil vs CBD Cream: Which is Better to Manage Pain?
If you’re experiencing widespread systemic, chronic pain from a condition such as arthritis or fibromyalgia, or are having sleep and insomnia issues, then CBD oil should be your go-to product. When taken internally, CBD oil enters into your bloodstream to help the ECS bring the body back into balance. Thus, taking CBD oil can help decrease pain and improve sleep. However, if you’re experiencing a localized area of pain or discomfort like sore muscles or joints, then CBD cream will work just fine. As we stated earlier, massaging CBD cream into a sore area on the body is a great way to bring about targeted relief to that general area. So while CBD oil is great for more widespread issues, CBD cream works fantastic for more localized areas of pain that are not systemic.
Other Benefits of CBD Cream
CBD creams can be used for all sorts of localized purposes, like:
Musculoskeletal Pain
• Helps with musculoskeletal pain & inflammation, like arthritis, back and sciatic pain, soreness in muscles and ligaments due to exercise or the lack thereof, pain on your feet, heels or toes due to long periods of standing or walking or due to wearing heels for too long.
Skin Irritation/Conditions
• Manages skin issues like acne, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis. • Maintains a healthy level of moisture and may prevent wrinkles, thus slowing down the skin aging process. • Relief from skin infections, fungal and bacterial diseases. • Heals skin allergies and inflammation. • Improves the skin’s defense mechanism.
Arthritis Pain
• Massaging CBD cream into the skin can help relieve arthritis pain that causes sore muscles and joints because the CBD can help boost the body’s endocannabinoid system.
Potential Side Effects
CBD topicals are the safest among all CBD products since only the applied areas are affected. CBD topicals usually don’t have any impact on the rest of the body, as the cream doesn’t enter into the bloodstream.
In some rare cases, you may experience:
• Dry mouth • Diarrhea • Changes in appetite • Changes in weight • Sleepiness
How to Choose the Right CBD Cream for Pain
You should be cautious before you buy any CBD product. Since there are still plenty of lapses in the regulation system, a lot of unscrupulous companies and vendors would have you believe that you can get relief from CBD creams at a much cheaper price than most other brands. Moreover, these cheaper products can potentially be laden with harmful pesticides, solvents, herbicides, and other chemicals.
• Always look for the products’ certificate of analysis (CoA) or third-party lab-test reports. • Make sure you buy creams from trusted and respected brands. • Read any and all verified customer reviews. • Know where the brand sources its hemp from. • Read product labels and ingredients and research anything that doesn’t look familiar to you.
Taking the time to do some much needed research will help you to be a savvy and smart consumer. This will also ensure that you’ll be buying a top-quality, potent, pure, and effective cream from a highly reputable and respected brand.
CBD and Pain FAQs
Below are some of the most commonly asked questions about CBD cream and about CBD in general. If you don’t see an answer to one of your questions below, then we invite you to spend some time researching your question(s) until you have found an answer that you're satisfied with.
Is CBD Legal?
The 2018 Farm Bill made hemp-based CBD legal to buy and sell across the United States, providing those products also contain 0.3% or less THC.
Is CBD Addictive?
Because only hemp-based CBD products contain 0.3% or less THC, there’s no way that anyone can become addicted to them. Moreover, scientific studies have proven that even marijuana-based products are not addictive.
Is CBD Effective in Reducing Pain and Inflammation?
If used consistently, CBD products can be effective at reducing both pain and inflammation. The key is to take or use your CBD products around the same times each and every day to ensure that the CBD levels in your body remain consistent. Additionally, it takes time for the CBD to build up in your system, so the more consistently you take your CBD, the more benefits you’ll be able to receive from it.
How Long Does it Take CBD Cream for Pain to Work?
You should be able to feel the peak benefits of your CBD cream within 20 minutes after you massage it into the affected area.
How to Use CBD Products for Pain?
You should always follow the directions on the product packaging when it comes to using CBD products for pain. If you’re using CBD cream, you’ll simply massage a dollop of it into the area of soreness on your body. If you’re taking CBD oil or gummies, you should start out with a low dose and then slowly increase over time. Remember that there isn’t one set dose of CBD that works great for everyone. Because everyone’s body is unique, a dose that works great for one person may not work that great for the next.
Final Thoughts on Buying CBD Cream for Pain
When it comes to buying CBD cream for pain, you’ll want to spend as much time as possible researching products and brands. Because the market is saturated with many different options, the last thing you’ll want to do is waste your hard-earned money on a sub-par product from a lesser known brand that’s both laden with harmful chemicals and less potent than creams from trusted and respected brands.
Additionally, if you want to get the most out of your CBD, then it’s best to opt for a full- or broad spectrum product. These creams contain all of the beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes, and phytonutrients of the hemp plant. Moreover, you should look for products from reputable brands that use high-quality, clean, organic ingredients. Finally, if you have any questions or concerns about using CBD cream for pain, then don’t hesitate to discuss them with your primary care doctor or medical specialist.