Even the most minor muscle strain can be a big setback. That’s why having recovery tools is important. Discover how to use CBD for strained muscles and faster recovery.
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Muscle strains can happen to anyone. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a pro athlete or if you’re just helping a friend with golf equipment. One wrong twist, push, or pull can result in a strained muscle that takes time to heal. Fortunately, there’s a way to speed up recovery time to quickly get you back in action–CBD.
CBD (cannabidiol) is a plant compound with phenomenal anti-inflammatory properties. Used properly, CBD products can help reduce pain, inflammation, and provide quicker recovery for strained muscles. Read on for all the details.
Disclaimer: You should always consult a doctor for severe muscle or tendon strains. While CBD can provide relief and faster recovery, it cannot heal torn muscles or broken bones.
What Are Strained Muscles?
A strain (sometimes called a “pulled” muscle) happens when you accidentally overstretch a muscle. Acute strains are those that happen unexpectedly. These can be a result of poor flexibility, not warming up properly, overexertion, and/or fatigue. Something as simple as losing your footing, lifting something heavy, or moving while in an awkward position can lead to an acute strain. These are more common in the winter when muscles are naturally stiffer due to cold weather.
Chronic strains, however, happen because of repetitive movements over time. You might think “old sports injuries” are the result of chronic strains, and you’re not wrong. Additionally, these can also be a result of poor posture from looking at your phone or sitting at a desk all day.
Luckily, the majority of strained muscles are mild to moderate and simply require rest, ice, or over-the-counter NSAID medications. The most common muscle strains occur in the neck, lower back, hamstring, and shoulders. While mild strains might develop slowly over the course of a day, most of the time you’ll immediately notice a muscle strain right when it happens. This might feel like…
- Muscle spasms
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle stiffness
- Sudden onset of pain
- Limited range of motion
- Swelling
- A “knotted” feeling
If you’ve noticed any of the above symptoms after or during physical activity, you’ve most likely experienced a strained muscle. Symptoms increase in intensity with more severe strains. With proper rest and recovery, mild and moderate strains will usually heal within a few weeks. However, severe strains may take months to heal and require medical attention.
Common Remedies for Mild to Moderate Muscle Strains
Once your doctor has confirmed that the strain isn’t severe and doesn’t need further medical attention, they’ll most likely recommend RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) to promote recovery.
Rest is absolutely essential to avoid further straining the muscle. This means avoiding any physical activity that requires the use of that muscle. However, that’s easier said than done, especially if your job or everyday tasks require the use of that muscle. This step requires balance, however, since a complete lack of movement can weaken the muscles.
Ice is one of the oldest methods for reducing painful swelling. You don’t even need to wait to talk to your doctor before applying an ice pack to the strained muscle. Immediately after you notice a strain, apply an ice pack for roughly twenty minutes and repeat every hour or so. After the first day, you shouldn’t need to ice as much, so if swelling continues you should consult your doctor again.
Compression is simply wrapping the muscle with a bandage to reduce swelling. Obviously, this is easier with certain strains (hamstring, ankles, etc.) and harder with others (lower back, shoulder, etc.). Many people make the mistake of compressing the muscle too much, which hinders blood flow. So, make sure not to compress too tightly.
Elevation is just keeping the injured muscle above your heart. For strains on your lower body, this is done by laying down and elevating limbs with pillows, but this isn’t always possible for lower back strains. Doctors may also recommend NSAIDs to reduce pain and inflammation. For those with certain conditions, however, medications like Ibuprofen may not be the best option.
All of these methods work, but they require time and patience. If you’re looking for an additional method to reduce pain and promote quicker recovery, CBD might be just the thing you’re looking for.
What is CBD?
CBD (cannabidiol) is a compound derived from the industrial hemp plant. It doesn’t have any psychoactive effects so it won’t get you high, and it has a variety of beneficial properties. But how exactly does CBD work? By interacting with your ECS (endocannabinoid system).
The ECS works behind the scenes to promote homeostasis (balance). That can mean a more balanced sleep/wake cycle, hormones, stress response, and especially a more balanced inflammatory response. The ECS sends naturally occurring cannabinoids (called endocannabinoids) to specific receptors throughout your body to help bring other systems back into balance. The chemical makeup of CBD is so similar to your endocannabinoids, that your ECS can use CBD molecules in their place.
That’s how Full-Spectrum CBD is able to help relieve chronic pain and inflammation, both of which will make you more comfortable and speed up recovery time.
Topical CBD Can Provide Relief Right Where You Need It
For mild to moderate muscle strains, a CBD topical can give you relief precisely where you need it. All you have to do is apply it generously where needed, and massage gently. That’s it!
Plus, in addition to the natural analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of CBD, slowly massaging the product promotes additional blood flow and lymphatic drainage. That means more healing for you. Just make sure you’re being gentle and not massaging so hard that it hurts.
Our Soothing & Cooling CBD Gel has 500mg of our C02 extracted premium CBD Oil. We use all-natural ingredients and make sure that our products are free of toxins, parabens, and plastics. Plus, we also added menthol and camphor to make our gel even more soothing.
Deeper Strains May Require CBD Oil to Help Reduce Inflammation
If your muscle strain is particularly uncomfortable, or if you just want to speed up the recovery process, CBD Oil may provide a necessary boost of anti-inflammatories. This is also perfect for those with particularly deep strains that may be difficult to treat with topicals alone.
When using CBD Oil, it’s important to take time to determine which CBD strength is right for you. While CBD is considered a safe and mild supplement, everyone is different. That’s why we always recommend talking to your doctor before adding CBD to your regimen, especially if you’re already on any medications.
To help you determine the appropriate CBD strength, it’s always a good idea to start low and go slow. Use a low-strength CBD Oil at first, monitor your responses, and if you’re comfortable after a week or so you can move onto a higher strength CBD product. You may also find that it works better if you take CBD at certain times of the day. This is especially true if your responses to CBD include feeling drowsy or, conversely, feeling energized.
Combine CBD Gel and CBD Oil for Maximum Relief and Recovery
If you’ve been faithfully using CBD Oil or a CBD Gel for quite some time and haven’t found relief, try boosting your recovery by using both! By using both CBD Oil and CBD Gel, you’re helping your body reduce pain and inflammation from the inside and the outside.
Some methods of CBD ingestion are more bioavailable than others (meaning your body absorbs CBD better with certain methods). It’s possible that one method will work better than another for you, but you may still benefit from combining them.
Soothe Strained Muscles and Recover Faster With CBD
Life comes at you fast, and sometimes waiting weeks to recover just isn’t an option. Whether you’re simply looking for pain relief or a faster road to recovery, CBD may be just the thing you need. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions and don’t forget to stock up on all your favorite products today. It’s time to start feeling better and living more.