As the cannabis market continues to grow, so, too, do the number of available products. In addition to the traditional consumption method of smoking, there are numerous other options, such as vaping, tinctures, edibles, capsules, and topicals. Another product that’s been gaining traction is the cannabis pain patch. Here’s what you need to know.
What Are Cannabis Pain Patches?
A cannabis pain patch is a small piece of plastic that looks very similar to a bandage you put over a cut. These plastic pieces, however, are cannabis-infused. You apply them to a venous area of your body, such as your ankle, wrist, or arm. They slowly release cannabinoids into your bloodstream for long-lasting relief when you need it.
Types of Cannabis Pain Patches
You will typically find cannabis pain patches infused with a variety of isolated cannabinoids, such as THC, CBD, or a 1:1 CBD to THC. Others provide users with THCA or CBN. Consider your goals when choosing a patch. For instance, if you want pain relief, you might choose a CBD patch. If you’re battling insomnia, you might opt for a CBN variety.
How Pain Patches Work
After you apply a patch to your skin, your body heat warms it up and activates it. The cannabinoids begin moving into your skin. As they go deeper, they eventually reach your veins and enter into your bloodstream, where they go to work providing you with the relief you need.
Benefits of Transdermal Patches
Transdermal cannabis pain patches provide several significant benefits:
- Discretion: Instead of smoking or eating something, you only need to apply a patch to a hidden area on your body, keeping it out of sight
- Whole-body relief: Since the cannabinoids enter into your bloodstream, they’re able to travel throughout your body, giving you whole-body (rather than targeted) relief
- Time-released pain relief: The patch releases cannabinoids into your skin slowly over the period of four to six hours
Accurate dosing: Patches release accurate doses of cannabinoids into your system every time - Lower risk for paranoia: THC gets you high, which can lead to paranoia. With a pain patch, the cannabinoid is released slowly into your bloodstream, helping to reduce the risk of the unwanted side effect
The potential for de-administration: If you don’t like how the pain patch makes you feel, you can remove it to keep any more cannabinoids from entering your bloodstream
Pain Patches Vs. Other Cannabis Topicals
Some people lump cannabis pain patches in with other topicals, such as lotions, creams, and balms. While they’re both applied to the skin, they work very differently. With a cannabis pain patch, the cannabinoids absorb deep enough into the skin to enter the bloodstream and provide full-body relief. When you use a cannabis topical, the cannabinoids don’t penetrate that deep. Instead, they bind to the cannabinoid receptors in the skin, providing targeted relief. Additionally, since creams and lotions don’t get into your bloodstream, they don’t cause you to get high, where a THC pain patch can.
Cannabis pain patches provide incredible relief in one of the most discreet manners possible. If you’re interested in giving them a shot, take a look at what your local dispensary offers to find the best ones to meet your needs.
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