Massage Therapy Journal Fall 2024

Fall 2024 • 93

As for appropriate massage modalities, Armitage explains that topical CBD works well with most massage techniques, like hot stone, lymphatic drainage, myofascial release and cupping, as well as regular and deep tissue massage. Are There Any Contraindications When Using CBD? All of our experts agreed that the contraindications that exist around CBD are the same as for most any other massage. “Topically, CBD has been found to be safe,” Armitage says. “Contraindications with CBD massage are pretty much the same as most massage contraindications.” For example, using CBD with clients with cancer or who are undergoing chemotherapy is not advised. Pregnancy and prenatal massage were also mentioned, alongside clients who are nursing and anyone who has a seizure disorder. “Avoid any areas of the skin with wounds or rashes, as you would with any massage,” Bevel adds. When in doubt, all our experts encouraged massage therapists require clients get their doctor’s consent before receiving massage with CBD. Bevel says simply: “This is a personal choice. If a therapist is at all concerned, or simply doesn’t want that much CBD in their practice, they can limit their bookings and/or upgrades for this service,” she explains. “Most therapists have great body awareness and can find their own balance with CBD.” Of course, if massage therapists have a skin reaction of their own to something in the product, they should discontinue use, O’Donnell explains. “I know the CBD products that are heavily mentholated can cause numbness in the hands after multiple uses,” she adds. “But, that’s because of the menthol, not the CBD.” Some massage therapists many even find working with CBD helpful, according to Armitage. “Many massage therapists find using CBD during a massage makes their hands feel less tired and experience their own relief from using the products on their clients,” she says. Should Massage Therapists Limit Their Exposure to CBD?

the Farm Bill, but has a long prior history in the U.S. as a cultivated plant grown to make rope and textiles, and for medicinal purposes. The Farm Bill distinguished it from hemp’s close cousin cannabis, and defined hemp as a plant that contains less than .3% THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis.” How Is CBD Used In Massage? In massage, CBD is used as a topical. “It can be used with massage oil or as a highly concentrated spot treatment for an area with pain,” Bevel explains. “There are different concentrations available.” Armitage offers more insight into the various concentrations that can be used. “A licensed massage therapist should look for products that contain between 150 mg to 1,100 mg of CBD per ounce,” she says. “The average massage takes about an ounce of oil (give or take). Anything under 100 milligrams per ounce may have low efficacy. It can be very effective to do a full body massage with a product that contains 150 to 600 mg per ounce of CBD and then follow up with a spot treatment on sore areas with a higher concentration CBD product as extra pain relief.” There are myriad benefits to using CBD, but everyone we talked to mentioned pain relief as a top reason for considering using CBD with some clients. “CBD is excellent to reduce inflammation and pain,” O’Donnell says. “It helps tight, spastic muscles to relax, which, in turn, helps the client to relax faster.” Other potential benefits include reduced inflammation, increased relaxation, better sleep and a feeling of calmness and relaxation. “CBD’s benefits are very similar to the benefits of massage alone and can potentially increase client outcomes by working in synergy with the body’s natural response to massage therapy,” Bevel explains. O’Donnell describes this synergy as “enhancement,” where CBD allows for faster pain relief that may allow massage therapists to work deeper. “CBD can also be an immediate pain reliever, so it allows us to work deeper if we must without the client feeling the sensitivity of pressure,” she says. “Massage and CBD both reduce inflammation and pain, but the CBD enhances those feelings and provides a quicker response.”

DO YOU USE CBD IN YOUR PRACTICE? Share your experience with us at communications@ amtamassage.org !

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