Once you’ve made the decision to invest in CBD to treat your inflammation, pain, or soreness, the next step is to decide what delivery method is best for you. If you have chronic, widespread pain, a tincture or other oral solution may be the most effective line of treatment; however, if you have localized pain due to arthritis, gout, or even after a strenuous workout a CBD salve provides targeted relief. Just make sure the CBD salve you choose does its best for you by following these keys to finding an effective dosage and using it correctly.
Find an Effective Salve
Because CBD is not regulated by the FDA and because it has become so popular so quickly, tons of different companies are infusing CBD into hundreds of products. Often these products, like shampoo and conditioner, have no effective way for your body to absorb the product. In other cases, the level of CBD is so negligible it must be pointless.
Instead, look for companies that specialize in hemp production, like Hunger Mountain Hemp. Companies that are transparent about how their hemp is grown, their ecological impact, and their labor practices allow you to buy with confidence in the product and in the company.
Besides making products with high-quality, organic hemp, you’ll find the higher doses of CBD you need for a salve to be effective. For example, CBD salve from Hunger Mountain contains as much as 1000 milligrams per 2 ounces while a mass-market coconut-based salve has only 225 milligrams in a nearly 4-ounce jar.
Find Your Dosage
Once you’ve got your salve, it’s time to figure out how much you need to work for you. The standard way of labeling CBD is to tell you how much is in an entire container and it’s up to you to decide how much you need.
Using the 1000 mg, 2-ounce jar as an example: if you weigh about 150 pounds and have moderate pain, you could start with a dosage of about 35 milligrams. Dust off your rusty cross-multiplication skills to establish that you would need .07 ounces or about 2 grams of product.
With just a kitchen scale you can measure your salve, or just eye it out, use a bit, see how it goes and adjust. Rub the salve into the area and give it about 15 minutes to begin working. From there you can add more or use less the next time. The amount you’ll need has to be adjusted for your weight and the strength of your pain. You’ll also need to adjust based on whether you are already taking an oral form of CBD since its effect is cumulative, building up in your system. Other forms of cannabis use should also be considered.
One of the best parts of CBD is there are almost no known side effects. Because CBD has no psychoactive properties you will never wind up with a “high” from using a lot of CBD, but there are some studies that indicate CBD can increase melatonin production in your system, so it could potentially cause sleepiness. Remember that like most other supplements, it has the potential to interact with medications; whatever dosage you decide on, it is important to talk to a physician or cannabis coach before you start taking CBD, or any other new product for that matter.