This New Massage Technique Is Completely Shifting The Way We Treat Pain

“Don’t live with pain.”

This is the simply-stated motto for Zac Smith’s company, Traveling Hands massage. But what sets his company apart? For starters, Traveling Hands isn’t simply massage therapy—it’s cannabis-infused massage therapy.

And it’s changing lives.

What is cannabis-infused massage? Well, for starters it won’t get you high. Or cause you to fail a drug test. This massage technique uses oils that are infused with marijuana—full-spectrum extract CBD oils—but they are low in THC, the component of marijuana/medical marijuana that causes psychoactive effects.

In simple terms, the oil which is applied topically, does not create any feelings of ‘disassociation,’ ‘lethargy’ or even a ‘high,’ as often associated with regular marijuana. This oil absorbs directly into the skin and has calming, inflammation-reducing effects that help to soothe, heal, and reduce pain.

In medical terms, “CBD interacts with the body through the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) or endocannabinoid system. First discovered in the late 1980’s, the endocannabinoid system regulates the body’s homeostasis, or general state of balance, impacting such functions as mood, sleep, appetite, hormone regulation, and pain and immune response.”

So what does that mean for the everyday person? Well, as someone who’s dealt with my own share of chronic hip, back, and heel pain, I wanted to find out. I sat down with Smith to ask questions about this new technique, his practice, and some of the amazing results and experiences he’s had.

To start, Smith told me about his passion for massage therapy. As a therapist for fifteen years, he’s seen so many people rely solely on medicine or treatment to hide pain, rather than to actually solve health problems.

“Instead of discovering the reason this [pain] is happening, we address the symptoms,” Smith says, “We fail to find out thewhy.”

He went on to talk about the benefits of this massage as opposed to only using traditional medicine or therapy techniques. Traditional massage can help with tightness, soreness, or muscle tension, but it’s often only a temporary fix. And there’s only so many muscle relaxers or pills one can take; eventually pain and inflammation has to be healed rather than just masked.

“[Traditional] medicine is great,” he says, “But cannabis-infused massage doesn’t numb the brain.”

So what, exactly do the oils do? Instead of masking the problem to make life ‘bearable,’ the oils work at the source to help with swelling, inflammation, irritation, and discomfort. And they’re 100% legal, natural, and safe.

“My oils have no fungus, pesticides, or metals. I use a lab-tested, high CBD strain. It’s a completely organic, non-GMO product,” Smith says, “And I’ve seen some incredible things. I’ve seen migraines disappear. I’ve seen surgeries avoided. I’ve seen reduced pain in arthritis, carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia. I’ve seen patients, after just three sessions, get completely off muscle relaxers.”

That’s honestly amazing. And as someone who’s battled a torn hip flexor, intermittent plantar fasciitis flare-ups in my heel, and chronic lower back pain, I’m intrigued. This technique challenges everything I’ve known, and been taught about treating pain.

And the best part about cannabis-infused massage therapy? You aren’t ingesting a bunch of mind-numbing pain relievers just to get through the day. Instead of trying to mask your pain just to get through work, workouts, or nights out, you are actually reducing, solving, and healing your pain.

And that’s the difference.

So maybe this (legal!) technique, among many non-traditional treatment options are the way of the future. Maybe we need to focus less on treating what hurts, and see the reason why. Look beyond the source and see if we can heal instead of mask.

These bodies, though temporary, are our homes.
It’s about time we start investing in them.