Pain is an important defense mechanism for the body. When something is damaged, pain signals warn us something is wrong.
While short-term pain can be helpful for the body (in response to an injury), the same can’t be said about chronic pain.
When pain persists for too long, it enters a self-perpetuating cycle. The pain signals inflammation, and the inflammation causes damage and brings more pain.
One of the most popular supplements used to break this cycle is CBD oil.
Patients around the world are using CBD to gradually reduce their pain, restore mobility to the joints, speed recovery between gym sessions, and support a higher quality of life.
Getting it right relies on selecting the right CBD oil for the job. Not all CBD oils offer enough potency to break the cycle of chronic pain.
Here, we’ve broken down three of the best CBD oils on the market for fighting pain, curbing inflammation, and improving the overall quality of life.
Best CBD Oils for Pain: 2020 Brands Reviewed
1. Royal CBD Oil — Editor’s Pick
Product Details:
| Total CBD | 250 mg – 2500 mg |
| Available Flavors | Natural, Berry, Mint, Vanilla |
| Potency (mg/mL) | 8.5 – 85 mg/mL |
| Extract Type | Full-Spectrum |
Royal CBD is one of the most well-known CBD companies on the market. They’ve been awarded as the top-rated CBD oil by over a dozen publications. Some of the most notable mentions include Weed News, Venture Beat, SF Weekly, and We Be High.
This brand is recognized in other domains as well — parenting authorities, healthcare news outlets, and various local news websites have all acknowledged the brands’ high status within the industry.
What makes Royal CBD so special? And better yet, what makes it such a great option for pain?
Royal CBD oils tick all the boxes — they’re made from organically grown hemp, verified by an independent lab, provide the full-spectrum of hemp-derived compounds, and come backed by a rock-solid 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
Organically-grown hemp is more important than you might think — especially when talking about CBD products for managing pain.
Hemp is a bioaccumulator, which means it tends to absorb everything from the air and soil around it — including the bad stuff. If hemp plants are grown in contaminated soils, the plant will hyper-accumulate these compounds. Several of these contaminants cause nerve damage and inflammation, leading to an increase in pain symptoms, rather than reduction.
For the best value, we recommend going for the 1000 or 2500 mg bottles of Royal CBD oil.
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2. Gold Bee CBD Oil — Best Value
Product Details:
| Total CBD | 300 mg – 1200 mg |
| Available Flavors | Unflavored, Honey |
| Potency (mg/mL) | 10 – 40 mg/mL |
| Extract Type | Full-Spectrum |
Gold Bee is known for providing exceptionally high terpene profiles in its oils. These products are made with meticulous attention to detail in very small batches. Keeping hemp extraction runs small allows the team to focus on minimizing the loss of terpenes from the final product.
As a result, Gold Bee CBD oils are especially rich in terpenes such as bisabolol, myrcene, humulene, and linalool. All of these terpenes offer separate pain-killing benefits to the oil.
Myrcene, for example, is a potent muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory, while bisabolol activates the vanilloid pain receptors (which are involved with pain transmission).
Like Royal CBD, Gold Bee has been named one of the best CBD oil brands by popular media outlets, including SF Examiner, LA Weekly, Observer, and CFAH. These recommendations are based on the excellent value of the oils, high potency, and positive feedback from customers all over the country.
The reason we’ve included Gold Bee second to Royal CBD is that the oils aren’t quite as potent. Gold Bee CBD oils come three potencies — 300 mg, 600 mg, and 1200 mg per bottle (1 ounce).
For most chronic pain sufferers, the 1200 mg bottle of oil will more than suffice. Plus, the high concentration of active terpenes makes this oil stronger than almost any other CBD oil with the same CBD content.
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3. CBD Pure — Runner Up
Product Details:
| Total CBD | 500 mg – 1800 mg |
| Available Flavors | Unflavored |
| Potency (mg/mL) | 50 – 180 mg/mL |
| Extract Type | Full-Spectrum |
CBD Pure is headquartered in the UK. We’ve included this product to provide an option for readers living outside the United States (Royal CBD and Gold Bee don’t ship outside the US).
As with any top-shelf CBD brand, all CBD Pure oils are verified by a company unaffiliated with the brand. This provides the ultimate level of transparency in a CBD oil — something you should always look for when shopping for CBD oil online.
CBD Pure is also made from organic hemp, extracted using state of the art supercritical CO2, and contains the entire spectrum of compounds produced in the hemp plant.
But there’s something about these oils that make them stand out.
Instead of using the standard 30 mL (1 ounce) bottles, CBD Pure opts for a much smaller 10 mL dropper bottle. These bottles are much easier to fit in your pocket, yet deliver the same amount of CBD. Each bottle contains your choice of 300 mg, 600 mg, or 1000 mg per bottle.
With this much CBD in such a small volume of oil, CBD Pure oils are much stronger than average. The highest potency option (1800 mg) delivers an incredible 6 mg per drop. You really only need a few drops of this oil to get a healthy dose of CBD — suitable for just about any level of pain.
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How Does CBD Oil Work?
CBD oil works by supporting the endocannabinoid system (ECS) — an important regulatory system in the body. The ECS is responsible for maintaining homeostasis — internal balance — throughout the body. It’s involved with maintaining internal body temperature, controlling the intensity of pain signals sent to the brain, regulating our immune system, and much more.
CBD binds to a specific group of receptors known as the CB1 and CB2 receptors.
CB1 receptors are predominant in the neurological system and are responsible for regulating our mood, focus, sleep, and neurological health.
CB2 receptors are found throughout the immune system and internal organs and are responsible for maintaining the optimal health of each target system. They’re involved with the inflammatory process, liver detoxification, and immune cell function.
Through these effects, CBD is able to provide dramatic benefits to different parts of the body. It’s used to reduce pain, ease inflammation, curb anxiety, promote more sound sleep, and much more.
How to Shop for CBD Oils
Shopping for CBD oils can feel overwhelming. There are so many different brands available it can be hard to choose which one is the best. On top of this, there are multiple potency options available for each brand.
Here are three tips to consider when shopping for your next bottle of CBD oil:
1. Opt for Reputable Brands Only
There are a ton of CBD companies on the market. The truth is that most of them aren’t worth the money.
It’s easy for a CBD company to carry cheap, underpowered CBD oils and mark the price up to make it seem like it’s a premium product.
The best way around this is to look for brands with plenty of recognition within the industry, including positive customer reviews and feedback.
Indicators of a Reputable CBD Manufacturer:
- Publicly-available third-party testing
- Plenty of positive customer reviews
- Brand mentions on reputable media outlets
- Organic hemp source
- Professional website
- Clear contact information (email and phone)
2. Aim for Around 1000 mg per Ounce of Oil (Some Exceptions)
Many people are confused about which potency of CBD oil they should buy. CBD oils can range all the way from 150 milligrams per bottle, to 2500. This is a huge range of potencies, which brings with it a massive degree of differences in the overall price.
If you’re just starting out with CBD oil, go for something in the mid-range (around 1000 mg per ounce).
These oils are a good starting point because they allow you to hit both the low-end and high-end of the dosage spectrum.
3. Choose Full-Spectrum over CBD Isolate
CBD oils are available in full-spectrum, and CBD isolate options. While both have the same effects, full-spectrum products are stronger overall. They’re also better for conditions like insomnia and anxiety than CBD isolated oils.
The difference between these two CBD oil options is the inclusion or exclusion of other hemp-derived compounds. Full-spectrum products maintain the hemp plant’s natural chemical profile, while CBD isolates contain only pure CBD.
Alternatively, you can add terpene extracts to your CBD oil to boost the terpene profile of the oil. This is considered an advanced technique. It’s a great way to tailor the effect profile of your oils for the condition you’re treating. It also allows you to customize the flavor of your oils to your individual preference.
Combining Other Health Supplements With CBD Oil
Other health supplements can be taken alongside CBD oil for a more targeted stack. Taking two or three herbal and nutritional supplements with similar benefits is a great way to optimize the effects of your health regimen.
The best supplements to combine with CBD depend on the condition or symptoms you’re looking to support.
For example, if you’re looking to curb anxiety, you can combine CBD oil with other anti-anxiety supplements such as kava tinctures, or L-theanine capsules.
What are the Side Effects of CBD Oil?
Just like any health supplement, CBD oils can produce some side effects.
While CBD oils’ side effects are rare and only result in mild effects, they’re something to be aware of.
The most common side effects of CBD oils include:
- Fatigue
- Grogginess
- Dizziness
- Low blood pressure
- Appetite suppression
- Mild headaches
- Mild nausea
Final Thoughts: Best CBD Oils for Pain & Inflammation
Chronic pain can be a real bummer. It can affect your mood, your ability to sleep, and your overall quality of life.
Unfortunately, persistent pain is notoriously difficult to manage. Increased pain leads to less mobility and more inflammation. More inflammation ultimately leads to more tissue damage and more pain.
The cycle repeats itself endlessly until something is done to break the cycle.
CBD oil has become the supplement of choice for many people suffering from chronic pain.
In order for CBD oil to work, it needs to be completely free from irritating contaminants (common in cheap CBD oils), deliver relatively high concentrations of CBD (over 500 mg per ounce), and offer the full-spectrum of pain-killing and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
If you’re unsure where to start, we recommend checking out the CBD oils offered by Royal CBD or Gold Bee. For the most severe pain symptoms, make sure you check out the incredibly potent 2500 mg CBD oil for Royal CBD. This stuff really packs a punch.
