Educate patients about the benefits of CBD massage and adding a CBD topical to their treatment session
Chiropractic and massage are two treatment remedies that, while each is effective on its own, provide patients even more advantages when used in tandem, especially when incorporating CBD massage.
Massage helps release tight muscles, leading to an easier chiropractic adjustment. When the spine is aligned due to regular chiropractic sessions, massage aids in improving the patient’s flexibility and mobility, helps muscles hold the adjustment, and offers a higher level of overall health and wellness.
Adding CBD massage to the patient’s therapy sessions can increase these benefits further with the hemp plant extract that is linked to numerous health-related benefits without instigating the psychoactive effects typically associated with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
CBD massage and greater pain relief
Many studies have shown that CBD topicals help to relieve pain. Some of these have looked at specific sources of pain, such as pain that is caused by arthritis. As an example, a 2016 study published in the European Journal of Pain utilized 54 rats with arthritis induced in one knee. A gel containing CBD was applied to 23 of the animals for four consecutive days post-induction. The rats receiving this CBD gel application had lower limb posture scores, suggesting reduced levels of spontaneous pain. Joint swelling was reduced as well.
Another study investigated the effects of a topical CBD on pain associated with peripheral neuropathy. In this case, 29 patients with symptomatic peripheral neuropathy were split into two groups. One group was treated with a topical containing 250 mg of CBD. The second group received placebo treatments for the first four weeks before transitioning to an active CBD topical. Researchers noted that CBD provided a “statistically significant reduction in intense pain, sharp pain, [and] cold and itchy sensations” when compared to taking a placebo.
Enhanced relaxation of soft tissues
One of the more common reasons people engage in massage therapy is the relaxation it offers. They use it as a way to unwind, soothing their body as well as their mind. Research suggests that incorporating CBD massage into the therapy session may assist with this effort.
In 2019, the Journal of Clinical Medicine published a study involving 60 patients with myofascial pain due to temporomandibular disorder (TMD). TMD is commonly associated with bruxism, which involves increased contraction of the muscles in the face. After 14 days of twice-a-day applications over the masseter muscle — the muscle that connects the lower jaw to the cheekbone and aids in chewing — participants in the active CBD group showed a significant reduction in the amount of activity recorded in this particular fascial muscle. Their pain was reduced as well.
Reduced inflammation of skin disorders
According to an in-depth review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences in February 2020, between 2-20% of the world population suffers from atopic dermatitis. Another 2-3% are afflicted with psoriasis.
Atopic dermatitis — also commonly referred to as eczema — and psoriasis are both characterized by red, itchy skin. Penn Medicine explains that psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that generally involves a mild itchiness whereas eczema is thought to be caused by both genetic factors and the environment and often sparks a more intense itch.
A 2019 study involved five patients with psoriasis, five with atopic dermatitis, and 10 with scars resulting from these two skin conditions. All participants applied topical CBD ointment to the affected areas two times a day for a total of three months. This resulted in significant improvement of the severity of the diseases while also reducing symptoms and improving disease-associated scars.
Methods for promoting CBD massage
The first step in promoting the addition of CBD to massage is educating patients. Inform them of the benefits of adding a CBD topical to their treatment session. This can be conducted in person, such as when booking the massage appointment. Another option is to include this information in your practice’s blog or monthly newsletter.
For patients who are unfamiliar with CBD and concerned about its effects, help them understand that CBD does not have the same psychoactive effect as THC. Also explain that the federal government limits the amount of THC which can be legally contained in a CBD product.
It may also be helpful to provide patients trial-sized packets of CBD topicals so they can try them on small patches of their skin. This enables them to gain some level of comfortability with CBD and the benefits it offers before jumping into a full-body CBD massage.
