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If you’re an athlete, pain happens. You’re pushing your body and challenging yourself, which sometimes means muscle soreness, joint stiffness, and bruises. You never want minor aches and pains to stop you from training or to interfere with your performance, which is where pain relief creams can help. CBD pain relief creams are a convenient and effective way to ease body discomfort. They provide fast recovery, so you don’t have to miss days in the gym.

Best Pain Relief Creams – Our Top 11

1. Best Overall – Green Roads Pain Relief CBD Cream
2. For Athletes in Contact Sports – Charlotte’s Web Active Sport Pain Relief Stick
3. Best for Muscle Strains – Live Rishi Rub CBD with Arnica
4. Best for Chronic Pain – Just Live Pain Relief Cream
5. Fast-Acting Pain Relief – Hempsi Pain Cream
6. Travel-Friendly – CBDistillery CBD Relief Stick
7. Best Cooling Lotion – Cornbread Hemp CBD Lotion and Menthol
8. Best Pain-Relieving Balm – Koi Naturals CBD Balm
9. Best Vegan Cream – Zatural CBD Salve
10. Best for Muscle Soreness – Just CBD Ultra Relief CBD Gel
11. Best Smelling Cream – Batch CBD Balm: Fire and Ice

1. Best Overall – Green Roads Pain Relief CBD Cream

Green Roads Pain Relief CBD Cream is an over-the-counter strength cream to help ease the pain and stiffness associated with backaches, arthritis, strains, and sprains. It uses active ingredients such as Methyl Salicylate and Menthol for pain relief.

Pros:

• It has 750mg of CBD for added support against physical stressors
• Pharmacist formulated
• Made with USA-grown hemp
• Includes avocado oil, vitamin E, and eucalyptus oil for extra skin support

Cons:

• Subscription pricing is only available for the 750 mg strength bottle option.
• Why we like it: We love that this broad-spectrum CBD cream is pharmacist formulated and made with
• USA-grown hemp. This cream also contains avocado oil, vitamin E, and eucalyptus oil to nourish your
• skin. We also love that this cream is effective for arthritis pain.

How to use it: Apply a generous amount of cream to the affected area and massage it into your skin. Do not apply more than four times a day.

2. For Athletes in Contact Sports – Charlotte’s Web Active Sport Pain Relief Stick

Athletes in contact sports get lots of bruises that can cause discomfort when training. Ease your bruise pain or minor muscle and joint pain on your arms, legs, shoulders, or torso with CBDMEDIC by Charlotte’s Web Active Sport Pain Relief Stick.

Pros:

• THC free
• Made in the USA with globally-sourced ingredients
• Made with ingredients naturally derived from nature
• Subscription pricing available

Cons:

• Only comes in one strength and size
• Why we like it: This pain relief stick temporarily eliminates aches from bruises, strains, and sprains thanks
• to a combination of THC-free hemp extract, menthol, and camphor. This relief stick also contains
• naturally-derived moisturizers such as clove oil, honeysuckle oil, and myrrh oil to keep your skin looking healthy and smooth.

How to use it: Use the twist-up stick to apply the pain relief cream to the affected areas—massage into the skin. You can reapply as needed.

3. Best for Muscle Strains – Live Rishi Rub CBD with Arnica

The Live Rishi Rub CBD with Arnica relaxes, relieves, and rejuvenates mild pain and soreness throughout the body. The addition of Arnica oil works to ease muscle strains and soreness, perfect for after a strenuous workout.

Pros:

• Made with certified organic ingredients
• Made in small batches to ensure potency and freshness
• No artificial dyes or synthetic ingredients
• Monthly and quarterly subscriptions are available

Cons:

• Does not come in a spray or roll-on form

Why we like it: We love that this CBD cream from Live Rishi is full of all-natural ingredients and free of any synthetic additives. This cream also contains German chamomile, which holds anti-inflammatory properties. There is also Shea Butter to help moisturize your skin and leave it feeling smooth without skin irritation. This cream doesn’t contain any ingredients that you can’t pronounce!

How to use it: Apply a liberal amount of cream to the affected area. Rub in the cream until it’s absorbed in the skin.

4. Best for Chronic Pain – Just Live Pain Relief Cream

The Just Live Pain Relief Cream is a fast-acting option, perfect for athletes experiencing the aches and pains of daily exercise. Formulated with a blend of pain-reducing botanicals such as menthol and argan mixed with broad-spectrum CBD, this pain relief cream provides an all-natural approach to fighting discomfort.

Pros:

• THC-free
• Made with natural ingredients and USA-grown hemp
• Non-GMO
• Subscription pricing available

Cons:

• It only comes in a 50ml container

Why we like it: Just Live Pain Relief Cream is free of THC, GMO, and artificial ingredients, making it an excellent all-natural solution. In addition to relieving pain, some reviewers also claim this cream aids in better sleep, leading to a faster recovery after workouts.

How to use it: Use the airless pump applicator to evenly dispense the cream to your affected area and rub it into your skin. Reapply as needed to prevent pain signals.

5. Fast-Acting Pain Relief – Hempsi Pain Cream

Hempsi offers a pain-relieving cream specifically formulated with soothing ingredients to reduce pain from inflammation, and can even help relieve arthritis pain. It includes several beneficial ingredients including menthol (for a cooling sensation), CBN, and vitamin E, which all work together to reduce inflammation and muscle aches.

Pros:

• Fast and effective pain relief
• Save 30% when you subscribe
• Full spectrum CBD extract

Cons:

• On the expensive side

Why we like it: This pain relieving cream include full spectrum CBD, which includes all parts of the flower, providing more benefits. We love how effective this cream is with targeting pain and giving you comfort where you need it the most. It is also effective for arthritis pain.

How to use it: Apply a generous amount of the cream to your skin where you feel pain. You should begin to feel the cream working about 5 minutes after application and it will continue to soothe as time passes.

6. Travel-Friendly – CBDistillery CBD Relief Stick

For athletes on the go who need a pain relief cream that’s quick and easy to apply and fits snug inside any gym bag, try the CBDistillery CBD Relief Stick.

Pros:

• No THC
• Subscription pricing available
• No mess application
• Sourced from non-GMO USA-grown hemp

Cons:

• Only available in 1000 mg strength

Why we like it: The CBDistillery CBD Relief Stick combines 1000 mg of CBD with menthol’s cooling sensation for optimal relief and recovery. The roll-on cream allows for mess-free application for targeted relief. We also love how portable it is to take it with you anywhere.

How to use it: Use the roll-on application to apply the cream to affected areas. You can reapply as you need it.

7. Best Cooling Lotion – Cornbread Hemp CBD Lotion and Menthol

Don’t let stiff muscles keep you from your next workout. Cornbread Hemp CBD Lotion and Menthol is a fast-acting solution offering direct relief to your most tender spots so you can get back to your active lifestyle.

Pros:

• Fast-acting
• Non-GMO
• USDA Organic
• Subscription pricing available

Cons:

• Only comes in one strength and size

Why we like it: We love how fast-acting and quickly this cream absorbs, so you can provide direct relief to sore or tender muscles just a moment before you start your workout. We also love that it contains non-GMO, organic ingredients.

How to use it: Apply a generous amount to the affected area and massage the cream into the skin until it is absorbed. You can gradually increase the amount as you need it.

8. Best Pain-Relieving Balm – Koi Naturals CBD Balm

Koi CBD brings you a Naturals Hemp Extract CBD Balm made from a blend of natural oils and hemp extract. It melts into your skin to relieve muscle soreness and joint pain and leaves your skin feeling smooth and restored.

Pros:

• No THC
• Made with organic ingredients
• Non-GMO
• Subscription pricing available

Cons:

• Full-size jars are glass and not ideal for travel

Why we like it: Koi CBD products come from quality ingredients such as USA-grown hemp and dozens of natural oils to nourish the skin while also providing pain relief. We also love that this CBD muscle balm melts on contact for fast-acting relief, so you can feel results just moments before heading to your next workout.

How to use it: Massage the balm into the skin where needed. You can reapply throughout the day and night.

9. Best Vegan Cream – Zatural CBD Salve

Zatural formulates its CBD Salve with nature’s finest ingredients. With a high amount of broad-spectrum CBD oil and their propriety plant of vitamins and organic ingredients, this pain relief cream will ease your most stubborn muscle pain while leaving your skin feeling silky smooth.

Pros:

• No THC
• Made from USA-sourced hemp and organic ingredients
• Non-GMO
• Subscription pricing available

Cons:

• Limited customer reviews

Why we like it: In addition to soothing sore joints, Zatural CBD Salve also works as an excellent moisturizer for dry and cracked skin thanks to its rich plant-based fatty acids and vitamins. This salve is also water-free, so it generally stays on longer, even while you sweat.

How to use it: Apply generously to affected areas and massage into the skin until absorbed. You can reapply as you need it.

10. Best for Muscle Soreness – Just CBD Ultra Relief CBD Gel

Check out Just CBD Ultra Relief CBD Gell if you need intense pain relief. This 1000 mg CBD formula works to relieve pain and inflammation instantly. It’s also infused with naturally-derived menthol for a pleasant cooling sensation.

Pros:

• Fast-acting
• Subscription pricing available
• Non-GMO
• Made with organic ingredients

Cons:

• Only comes in one size and strength

Why we like it: Hemp-derived CBD and menthol work together to ease Muscle and joint pain, while rosemary oil works to reduce inflammation. The pump also makes this gel easier to apply than jar containers.

How to use it: Apply a generous amount of gel to the affected area. Massage into the skin and let it absorb. Reapply as you need it.

11. Best Smelling Cream – Batch CBD Balm: Fire & Ice

Rapidly recover from muscle and joint pain with Batch CBD Balm: Fire and Ice. This relief cream absorbs quickly and contains 1250mg of full-spectrum CBD in a no-mess container for easy application during your workout.

Pros:

• USA-sourced hemp
• Non-GMO
• Made with organic ingredients
• Subscription pricing available

Cons:

• Only comes in one size and strength

Why we like it: Batch CBD Balm is easy to apply with no mess and is safe for everyday use. The jojoba oil and essential oils help the balm quickly absorb, and we love the subtle lemongrass aroma

How to use it: Roll the balm onto the affected area and let it absorb. You may apply as you need it.

How We Choose Our Top 10 Best Muscle & Joint Pain Relief Creams

There’s a lot to consider when deciding on which products to choose for our top 11. To find the best muscle pain relief cream we spent a lot of time looking into the customer reviews, ingredients, and brand reputation.

There are thousands of CBD companies and products in the United States, and we want to ensure we only recommend the best.

Reviews

CBD products often don’t work the same for every person. But if we’re recommending a product, we want to know that most people enjoy it. We like to see verified customer reviews with at least four out of five stars when recommending products.

When a product has many positive reviews, it tells us that it works, meets customers’ expectations, and provides insights into potential benefits and uses. Reviews also let us know potential cons or if a CBD cream is not living up to its claims.

Ingredients

The ingredients of a CBD cream are essential to the product’s safety and effectiveness. We tend to look for creams made with all-natural or primarily natural ingredients. For CBD pain relief creams specifically, we make sure there is an active pain relief ingredient such as menthol or wintergreen oil.

We also look for GMO-free products made with USA-grown hemp. We also try to find the best pain relief creams with no THC or low THC, especially for athletes who may have to take drug tests.

Price

CBD products can get expensive, and as an athlete, you want an affordable product that you can purchase again and again. We ensure that our featured products fall within the average price point for similar products.
We also try to find companies that offer subscriptions. A subscription is excellent for pain relief creams because it allows you to get an automatic shipment of your favorite CBD cream at a discounted price.

Brand Reputation

There are tons of CBD brands, and since CBD is not FDA-approved, there are limited ethical growth and production regulations. Therefore, we only suggest CBD creams from reputable brands. If you visit the website of a reputable brand, you’ll typically find about where the hemp is grown, their production facilities, customer reviews, and lab results for each of their products.

How to Choose Pain Relief Cream

If you’re having trouble deciding which cream is suitable for you, the two most essential elements to consider is the type of discomfort you are experiencing and the intensity of the pain.

• Pain type: While most CBD pain relief creams can work for pain anywhere on the body, most companies formulate products to ease specific pain, such as sore muscles, arthritis pain, or joint stiffness. When searching for creams, make sure you’re choosing a product that works explicitly to ease your type of pain.
• Pain intensity: Some CBD creams have different strengths determined by how much CBD is in the product. The more intense your pain, the higher amount of CBD you should look for in a relief cream.

Note that these creams provide temporary relief only. If you have severe pain, talk to a healthcare professional.

When to Use Cream for Pain Relief

You can use pain relief cream at different times depending on your discomfort and the results you want. You also want to consider the brand and product’s intended use.

After a Workout

Most pain relief creams work best after a workout. If you notice any areas on the body feeling tight or tender during your cool down, apply the CBD cream after you’ve showered to dry skin. You can reapply the cream as you need to keep the muscle and joints from feeling stiff.

Before a Workout

Sometimes a challenging workout can lead to body aches that kill your motivation to exercise the next day. If you have pain in your muscles or joints before a workout, you can apply CBD cream to help loosen your body. Apply the cream to the affected area and let it absorb before you sweat.

Before Bed

Some individuals also apply pain relief cream right before bed to help soothe body pain for a better night’s sleep. If body aches make it challenging to rest, apply CBD cream to the affected areas as part of your nighttime routine.

Other CBD Products to Consider to Relieve Pain

Other CBD products other than topical medications can help ease minor pains and discomfort if CBD creams are not for you.

Gummies

CBD gummies are convenient for individuals who want on-the-go pain relief. Instead of directly easing a particular area of the body, gummies provide an overall relaxation to help relieve tension and stiffness throughout the body.

Oral Capsules or Supplements

Oral CBD capsules and supplements are similar to gummies in that they’re convenient to take and have a pre-measured dose per capsule. But unlike gummies, you swallow them instead of chewing them, and they typically don’t come in different flavors.

Other Topical Medications & Patches

Try topical patches if you don’t enjoy massaging cream into your skin but want something you can apply to the affected area. These CBD patches offer the same sensation and results as cream without having to rub anything into your skin. Some patches also work as a heating pad.

FAQs

Is CBD legal in my state?

The 2018 Farm Bill considers hemp separate from marijuana. Therefore, any CBD product containing less than 0.3% THC is legal in all states. However, if a product has more than 0.3% THC, it’s illegal under federal law but may be legal at the state level.

You can learn more about state-regulated cannabis programs from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

How do pain-relieving creams work?

Most topical pain creams contain methyl salicylate, also called wintergreen oil. This ingredient is a counterirritant. It acts as a distraction to the underlying pain when applied to the skin. The idea is to use pain relief creams until the affected area heals for a few days.

Since pain relief creams distract from the pain, they work best for minor aliments and not chronic or severe pain. They’re just a temporary relief from pain to help you get through your day.

Do CBD creams contain THC?

Most CBD creams contain less than 0.3% THC. This percentage is almost undetectable and will not cause a body or mind high. However, states, where recreational cannabis is legal, may sell CBD products with higher amounts of THC.