When evaluating the best CBD products to treat pain, there are many criteria to consider. While no one product will receive exemplary marks in every category, it’s important to achieve a positive result in each case.
Only you can decide which CBD products make the most sense for your situation and which buyer experience fits your situation.
In your journey to find the best CBD for pain management, here are some of the most important criteria to consider:
CBD is made from the hemp plant. As such, it’s important to consider and evaluate that source material. This includes where it was grown, how it was grown, and the production processes that turned your CBD from raw material to finished product.
For the most part, hemp is a regulated crop in both the United States and the European Union. There are approved herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that can be used in the integrated management program of these crops.
One of the most glaring qualities of the source material is and should be the overall THC content. This is because THC is still illegal in many of these regions. In the US THC is legal in several states but remains federally illegal. By ensuring your CBD’s source material remains within the THC tolerance of no more than 0.3% by weight, you can remain safe from prosecution.
By understanding what remains in the extract after processing has taken place, you will be more informed when consuming the extract of your choosing.
Strength of your CBD, in this case, is a measure of its potency. The more potent your CBD, the more effective it will be in relieving your symptoms. This is usually labelled in milligrams, though strength can vary widely from one extract to another.
It’s generally advised for users who are new to using CBD to start with a low or medium-potency extract until they find a dosage that works for them.
CBD users will find that providers package their products in a variety of sizes. This can give you more freedom to combine different extracts and their associated dosages. Buying larger quantities will generally be cheaper in the long term. However, like all medications, CBD does have a shelf life. So, make sure you can consume the allotted amount before it would presumably expire.
Taste will impact the overall experience you have when utilizing your CBD for pain management. Natural or non-flavors will be relatively benign but won’t instill much of a memorable experience with a given brand.
Brands that introduce flavors that are exotic or exciting enrich the overall experience. However, it is important to know from where those flavorings are derived.
Strong flavorings from unnatural sources have been reported to give users headaches or leave foul aftertastes in the mouth. Stomach-ache or heartburn may also result.
While an extract may form the base of a CBD product, there are further ways to package and brand this powerful medicine.
In the case of supplements, foods, drinks, or any other way to package CBD, it’s important to consider what else is going into the product you are consuming.
As a general rule of thumb, we recommend natural and organic ingredients to be ideal. Artificial chemicals and preservatives should be avoided.
As with all products we ingest, it is important to understand what is in them. In the case of chemical additives, labelling, and certification a third-party lab test should always be provided.
If this testing documentation is not readily available on the product website, you should be able to request those impartial and unbiased test result from the manufacturer.
If they refuse or do not produce these test results, we recommend you consider procuring your CBD from other sources.
The best way to understand whether a brand’s products are worth your time is if other people use them or not.
In the case of CBD for pain management, ask people what products and brands they endorse. You can find these communities online. You can ask your physician. Don’t be afraid to do a little research or ask for testimonials. That extra effort will give you peace of mind that you selected a quality product.
People today are more conscious than ever of the ethics exposed by companies producing the goods they consume.
Understanding the ethics of your chosen CBD producer will give you better insight into how your CBD products are made. These processes, ingredients, and fair-trade practices are just one more way to feel good about how your CBD is made.
When things go bad with an order, or you have a question with a certain product, how quickly does the company’s customer support engage with you to resolve issues or concerns?
This is one considerable factor among CBD users, and companies with good customer service tend to represent better products that users stand behind.
It’s important to consider, when it comes to their products, whether a company offers a warranty or satisfaction guarantee.
If your order is wrong, misplaced, or not to your expectations, will they honor a warranty and issue a refund?
Looking at a company’s website, which is generally considered their storefront, is the experience from education to final purchase easy to navigate?
Does the reorder process put undue stress on you as a consumer?
Are sales and marketing tactics heavy-handed?
Consider all these qualities of the customer experience to get a sense of how your customer journey will progress. Consider this as a good indication of how you will be treated and how you will feel each time you support a given CBD manufacturer.