6/14/22 By Lee McCann, LMT
People sometimes ask me what I use for massage cream, and sometimes ask for recommendations for pain creams. So I thought I might write a little bit on the topic and offer some product recommendations. Any purchases made with my links helps me out a lot so thanks bunches if you do :)
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So first up we have Biotone Advanced Therapy massage lotion. This is what I use every day on the job. I used the cream version for a long time but was finding that on winter-worn dry skin it wasn't applying very easily (or cost-efficiently). This is because this stuff absorbs into the skin after a time and tends to leave folks feeling lightly moisturized. I prefer this to oils where you might leave the massage feeling like a salad (that is to say, oily). The lotion goes a little further than the cream. If you want to start giving massages to your partner for instance, you'll love this stuff. While your basic Eucerin or whatever is okay for a small area in a pinch, the lotions you buy from the store are often tacky or absorb into the skin too quickly and are just not designed for massage. You would be better off using olive oil from your kitchen. Yeah, no, for real. I used to work with another massage therapist who used it regularly.
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LivingWell's Rub On Relief Next up is Living Well's Rub On Relief. I use this myself and find it to be comparable or better than various CBD creams I've tried for hand pain. It is non-greasy, and smells a bit medicinal but in a pleasant way (in my opinion), plus the scent dissipates quickly. It is recommended to use ~3 times a day for stubborn pain. Some notable ingredients of RoR are: Cetyl Myristoleate or CMO, a fatty acid ester that was first discovered in 1994 to make rats immune to arthritis, and has had clinical success in humans for managing arthritis and fibromyalgia. MSM is a common ingredient in joint supplements for its mild anti-inflammatory properties, and seems to have the effect of making cells more permeable to other ingredients it is paired with.
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Voltaren: You used to have to have a script or go to Canada for this stuff, but you can buy it right off the shelf or have it delivered to your door now. Diclofenac is the active ingredient, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like Ibuprofen. People with sensitivities to NSAIDs will probably have similar reactions to Voltaren, so beware. Like most drugs it can have some serious side effects, such as increasing risk for heart attack/stroke, and stomach/intestinal bleeding. I have sparingly used this for hand pain for years and it's good stuff. It's not greasy, but again this is not designed for broad massage, and it absolutely
needs to be dosed properly.
Veritas Farms CBD salve
If you're looking for a CBD topical, Veritas Farms is where it's at. They sustainably grow their own hemp with strict quality control. Their products are not available on amazon, but you can buy some of them directly from me in store or at my site. Their lotions and salves absorb a little too quickly to be used for more than a spot treatment massage, but they do sell a massage oil with a jojoba base which works well for a massage (but may leave you feeling a bit oily after) Unscented 1000mg CBD Salve $70 For a bigger selection visit their website at https://theveritasfarms.com/ They run sales pretty frequently.
Thanks for reading! You rock.