Is Topical CBD Better Than CBD Oil for Pain Relief?

When it comes to managing muscle, skin, or joint pain, you’ve got two options to consider — should I use a CBD pain cream or CBD oil?

Ultimately, both will work, but there are a few scenarios where one may be a little better than the other:

1. Pain from osteoarthritis (low-grade) — for low-grade OA pain, CBD oils are generally the better option because they can more effectively penetrate the deeper cartilage tissue.
2. Pain from osteoarthritis (moderate to severe) — for moderate to high-grade pain from arthritis, it’s generally better to use a CBD topical or a combination of CBD pain cream and CBD oil.
3. Muscle pain — most muscle pain can be managed effectively by a high-quality CBD pain cream. CBD oils work too but tend to take longer to produce results.
4. Pain from rheumatoid arthritis — most RA patients find more relief from a CBD topical, especially topicals that contain other ingredients to provide a gentle warming action.
5. For digestive or abdominal pain — CBD oil is the best option for any pain that doesn’t involve the skin, muscles, or joints specifically. Topical CBD will offer little to no benefit for internal pain.
6. Eczema or psoriasis pain — topical CBD is the best option for any pain involving the skin, by far.

For most pain, a CBD topical will provide faster relief for pain originating in the muscles, joints, or skin. CBD oil is better for everything else.