CBD isn’t just for taking orally. You can also apply CBD to your skin, and CBD massage oil is one of the best ways to experience the cannabinoid’s topical benefits. In this guide, learn what CBD massage therapy is and find out where to buy the best topical CBD oil for pain relief and massage treatment.
What is CBD Oil Massage?
CBD oil massage is the use of CBD oil in a massage practice to help with pain, inflammation, stiffness, or even anxiety and mood. A CBD oil massage may consist of a professional massage administered by a massage therapist who specifically uses CBD massage oil. Or, it might consist of a friend or loved one carefully rubbing CBD lotion into the affected area.
CBD oil’s calming effects are well-known. What isn’t so widely understood, however, is that CBD has the potential to calm and soothe when applied topically as well. Most users who apply CBD topically do so to relieve pain, but topical CBD may also play a role in overall tension relief and mental wellness.
Though CBD oil massages come in all shapes and sizes, they share a single purpose: To apply CBD to a selected area of the body effectively enough to achieve the desired form of relief. We’ll dive deeper into what CBD massage oil — the core component of a CBD massage — is and does throughout the remainder of this guide.
What Does CBD Oil Do In Massage?
In a massage, CBD massage oil may be used to provide lubrication, offer pain relief, or simply contribute to manifesting a beneficial aura of relaxation during the course of massage therapy. Some CBD massage therapists may use the cannabinoid for its reported ability to relieve pain or inflammation, and others might rely on CBD to help their clients let go of stress and anxiety.
Whatever the intended purpose, CBD exerts the same effects when used during massage as it does in any other topical context. As long as it is able to properly permeate the skin, CBD absorbs in the underlying tissues, apparently directly impacting neurotransmitters involved in inflammation and the sensation of pain.
9 Benefits of CBD Massage Oil
Now that you have a basic idea of what CBD massage oil is and what it does, it’s time to delve deeper into the benefits of using CBD during your next massage. Below, we’ll cover nine of the most impressive reasons you should take a CBD massage:
1. All-Natural Effects
The benefits CBD offers during a massage don’t come at the cost of your health. Except in the rare case of allergy, CBD almost universally has mild effects — a hallmark of its natural origins. Unlike almost all substances used for topical pain relief and massage purposes, CBD is 100% all-natural and unaltered. It occurs naturally in the hemp plant, and it is preserved in its natural form when packaged into consumer products.
2. Relaxation & Relief
Regardless of any lingering scientific uncertainty surrounding the benefits of CBD, millions of CBD users worldwide can attest that the cannabinoid provides at least some degree of relaxation and relief from common pains and ailments. It simply stands to reason, therefore, to expect at least somewhat similar effects when using CBD for the purposes of massage.
3. Inflammation Reduction
There’s reason to believe that CBD might help with inflammation when applied topically. A number of studies have now confirmed findings suggesting that CBD might impact human TRP receptors, the primary neuroreceptor group involved in inflammatory pain. When applied topically, CBD may directly impact the TRP receptors that govern pain in specific areas of the body.
4. Pain & Tension
Both bodily pain and mental tension are closely regulated by the serotonergic system, of which the 5HT family of neuroreceptors is the primary component. It appears that, in addition to the TRP inflammation system, CBD also impacts the serotonergic 5HT system — mainly via the 5-HT1A receptor. It stands to reason CBD would exert these effects both when administered orally and when applied topically.
5. The Entourage Effect
Using CBD oil topically will be even more beneficial if you choose a product that offers the entourage effect, a beneficial form of synergy that occurs when multiple components of hemp flower are used simultaneously. To ensure that the entourage effect takes place, choose a full-spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD massage oil.
6. No Intoxication
A CBD massage will not cause any intoxication for two reasons:
- CBD products contain less than 0.3% THC
- THC is not intoxicating when administered topically — even in large amounts
So, there is no need to be concerned about getting high from using CBD massage oil. It is also extremely unlikely that you could ever use enough CBD massage oil for sufficient THC to accumulate in your system to trigger a drug test — even if you were to use full-spectrum CBD massage oil, which can contain up to 0.3% THC.
7. Mild Side Effects
Implementing topical CBD oil in your massage routine is very unlikely to cause any serious negative effects. Depending on the formulation used, it is — of course — possible to have a negative reaction to an ingredient in a massage oil formulation aside from CBD. But, CBD itself should not cause any serious side effects. Even common CBD side effects like digestive discomfort cannot occur when applying the cannabinoid topically.
8. Excellent Absorption
The topical health benefits of CBD can only be fully realized with a formula that encourages dermal absorption, such as massage oil. As a massage therapist gently works it into your skin, massage oil passes through various dermal layers, reaching the underlying muscle tissue more quickly than under normal circumstances. Rely on CBD massage to unlock the topical benefits of the cannabinoid in a way you’ve never experienced before.
9. CBD Product Options Abound
You have plenty of products to choose from as you select the ideal CBD massage oil for your needs. Whether you’d prefer a fancy formulation with essential oils like you’d find in a professional massage studio, or you’re fine with a simple CBD oil cream that absorbs quickly into your sore muscles with no mess, you’ll find something that fits your desires online.
Can You Use CBD Oil for a Massage?
Yes, it’s possible to use CBD oil as a massage oil. The type of CBD oil you use orally, however, is not formulated to be applied to your skin. As a result, negative reactions to certain ingredients may occur, and skin permeation could be poor.
For this reason, it’s best to use a topical CBD product that is specifically designed for topical use when giving a CBD massage. Even if a product is not specifically called “CBD massage oil,” it should be suitable for massage purposes as long as it is designed for topical use.
How to Use CBD Oil for Massage
When giving a CBD oil massage, simply administer the massage as you would normally. Just incorporate CBD at the point you would usually use a massage oil or lotion. As usual with a massage, take plenty of time to make sure the CBD topical you’ve chosen has been fully absorbed.
How Long Should You Leave CBD Oil on After a Massage?
There is no need to remove CBD from your skin after receiving a CBD oil massage. If you have chosen an appropriate topical CBD product, it should absorb properly by the time your massage is over. Since CBD is not toxic, there is no need to be concerned about it staying on your skin.
How Long Do the Effects of a CBD Massage Last?
After it has worked its way into your skin over the course of a massage, CBD should continue to exert beneficial effects for around 2-3 hours. The duration of the relief provided by CBD massage varies — some recipients report that their relief lasts a full day or even longer.
Do CBD Oil Massages Make You Sleepy?
Yes, CBD massages can make you feel sleepy, but mainly because massages often lead to sleepiness in general. It’s true that CBD adds to this relaxing effect due to its inherently desirable properties, but receiving a CBD massage shouldn’t make you considerably sleepier than receiving a massage in general.
Can You Drive After CBD Massage?
Yes, receiving a CBD massage should not impact your fitness to operate a vehicle. You should feel free to drive after a CBD oil massage if you usually don’t have trouble driving after massages.
Where to Buy CBD Massage Oil
The best place to buy CBD massage oil is online. With trusted, certified companies like Colorado Botanicals offering Relief CBD creams that contain organic ingredients, there’s never been a better time to peruse the various excellent CBD topicals you can use during a massage.
Start Using CBD Massage Oil to Improve Your Wellbeing
For centuries beyond count, cultures across the world have relied on massage as a method of relieving tension, reducing pain, and improving well-being in an overall capacity. With the addition of CBD, massage takes a leap into the future while staying rooted in its natural, healthy origins.
The only way to fully understand the benefits of taking a massage and combining it with CBD is to try the experience for yourself. Choose your ideal topical CBD product, and start exploring the impressive improvements to your lifestyle that CBD massage has to offer.
