This article is presented by Made By Hemp, a Michigan-based CBD retailer dedicated to providing customers with high quality hemp-based products to improve their wellness and quality of life.
The non-intoxicating compound in cannabis, cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, has become ubiquitous in American markets recently, and for good reason. CBD is believed to be effective in treating a laundry list of conditions, including inflammation of joints and muscles.
CBD Salve As a Direct Delivery
While methods like candies and tinctures are becoming popular ways to take CBD, there’s no need to ingest cannabidiol to make the most of its pain-relieving effects. For consumers seeking to ease a specific ache or pain as quickly as possible, a topical product like a CBD salve can be a good solution.
Salves go straight to the source, focusing the effects of CBD directly on a problem area. That makes CBD salves an ideal delivery system for athletes, people with chronic pain, or anyone who just wants no-nonsense relief for everyday aches and pains. Studies show that using a CBD salve right on the affected area is not just effective, but powerful.
Made By Hemp’s CBD salve packs a lot of pain relief into a small package. (Courtesy of Made By Hemp)
Because a CBD salve doesn’t need to be metabolized, a topical dosage is strong, reliable, and starts working quickly. When used directly on the muscle that’s giving you grief, a CBD salve doesn’t just alleviate pain, like a warm rub or a cooling, menthol liniment. It actually fights inflammation at the source.
This doesn’t mean traditional muscle rub ingredients like menthol don’t play a supporting role in CBD salves. Made By Hemp’s house-brand salve, for instance, is formulated with go-to pain relievers like arnica and peppermint that supplement the relief provided by 500 mg of CBD. Some of Made By Hemp’s other topical offerings include ingredients like eucalyptus and ginger for that same immediate effect.
Bringing Hemp CBD to Everyone
Made By Hemp founder Jeff Gallagher knows the power of CBD firsthand. Just over five years ago, his father-in-law and wife both passed away in the space of about a week, leaving him widowed with a young son at home. As a result, he found himself suffering from debilitating panic attacks and anxiety. The pharmaceuticals his doctor prescribed to treat them left Gallagher in a fog, making them a non-starter. That was when a neighbor offered him some cannabis oil; after Gallagher started using it, his panic attacks stopped cold.
“I was skeptical and stopped taking it, but when I did, I found that the attacks slowly came back,” says Gallagher. “So I got another sample from my neighbor, started taking it again, and sure enough the panic attacks went away once more.”
CBD salve is just one of many CBD-packed products from Made By Hemp. (Courtesy of Made By Hemp)
He took the bottle to a testing facility and found out it was packed with CBD—but this was back in 2012, and he could find only a single company selling CBD online. That lack of access inspired Gallagher to take matters into his own hands.
“I put $1200 worth of CBD products on my credit card and planned to help five people per week with their anxiety or health,” says Gallagher. “Shortly after I set up a website to reach more people, and soon I had so many orders that I was spending all of my time shipping packages. My part time hobby to help five people per week turned into a full-time business helping a lot more.”
As Made By Hemp grew, so did its offerings. Gallagher’s inventory expanded from oils and tinctures into products including edibles and topical treatments. And while salves are a potent way to harness CBD’s healing power, its external applications don’t stop there. Pain-relieving patches, like those produced by Made By Hemp, provide a familiar way to soothe muscles, boosted by the addition of CBD. CBD cleansers, serums, and moisturizers can help to calm irritated skin, while lotions can nourish both skin and deeper tissues.
CBD salves can help fight inflammation and ease sore muscles after a long day. (Sjale/iStock)
Knowing Your CBD Salve Dose
The trick with any topical, though, is to make sure there’s a high dosage of CBD in there. While supplemental ingredients can be helpful, CBD is the proven anti-inflammatory consumers are looking for. With new CBD products entering the market every day, potency and quality can make one product stand out from another.
Fortunately, when a company is willing to share, the results can be pretty transparent. Just like Gallagher took his neighbor’s cannabis oil to the lab to see what made it work, Made By Hemp publishes lab results of products like their house-formula CBD salve so you can know exactly what you’re getting.
Because CBD salves are targeted toward pain but otherwise low-impact, they can make a great introductory product for those curious about CBD’s effects. One way to get started is visiting Made By Hemp’s product guide. Those in Indiana or Michigan can even stop by a brick-and-mortar store for personalized recommendations.
