#77: From Athletes to Physicians: Why So Many Experts Recommend 19Paths for Pain Relief

One of the most common and debilitating conditions that many people face is chronic pain. Whether it's from an injury, a medical condition, or simply the wear and tear of daily life, living with chronic pain can greatly impact one's quality of life. While traditional Western medicine often relies on prescription medication to manage pain, there are alternative options available that may provide relief without the negative side effects.

Enter 19Paths, a line of herbal pain rubs infused with cannabidiol (CBD) and 18 other Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbs. This unique blend of natural ingredients has been carefully crafted to target and alleviate pain, without the use of harmful chemicals or additives.

If you've ever used Tiger Balm, a popular TCM pain reliever that's been around since the 1870s, then you may already be familiar with some of the herbs used in 19Paths. But 19Paths takes it to the next level by incorporating CBD to enhance the pain-relieving properties and provide additional relaxation and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Since its launch in October 2018, 19Paths has gained a loyal following and received rave reviews from customers that include MMA fighters, athletes, and individuals suffering from chronic pain. Its effectiveness and natural ingredients have also caught the attention of health professionals with doctors and physiotherapists now recommending it to their patients.

Founded in Toronto, Ontario by Louis Hochman in 2015 and joined by Dickin Lam in 2017, 19Paths is more than just a business. It's a passion project driven by their own experiences with chronic pain and their belief in the power of natural remedies. With a commitment to helping others find relief from pain and a dedication to quality, 19Paths is quickly becoming a leader in the natural pain relief market.

We had the opportunity to host a Q and A session with Louis Hochman about the inspiration behind 19Paths, their unique blend of ingredients, and what the future holds for the company.

Q: Can you tell us a bit more about your personal experiences with chronic pain and how it led to the creation of 19Paths?

I struggled with ongoing shoulder pain for years and tried most leading topical brands with less than satisfactory results. Like most people, I am always looking for the most effective natural non-drug pain relief products to avoid negative side effects as well as negative interactions with prescription medications.

At a trade show, I found an amazing natural topical pain relief gel consisting of herbs used primarily in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The relief was a revelation. My positive results and the response from friends and relatives indicated that this unique product would be marketable even in a crowded category.

In 2015, I acquired the rights to this product. Having extensive experience in product development, I actually improved the effectiveness with the addition of other natural pain-relieving ingredients, which made a great product greater. We named this product 18 Paths Herbal Relief Rub due to the 18 pain-suppressing ingredients in the new formulation.

In 2017 there was an explosion of interest and information regarding the benefits of CBD and its effectiveness for a wide variety of health issues. One significant benefit was its effect on chronic pain. One animal study at this time from the European Journal of Pain suggested that CBD could help lower pain and inflammation due to arthritis when applied to the skin.

Given the extensive promotion of CBD in most media channels we decided to experiment with infusing CBD isolate into our 18 Paths formulation. The results were positively dramatic. So much so, that we began production of CBD-infused 19 Paths Herbal Pain Rub.

What herbs are included in your pain rubs and what specific benefits do they provide?

Regarding the specific herbs in our formulation, their names have little recognition in the Western markets. They have been incorporated into various versions of Traditional Chinese pain remedies for generations.

To summarize, some herbs provide anti-inflammatory benefits, some promote blood flow, while others specifically dampen pain receptors and others still provide healing properties. In combination, they have proven to be an extremely effective pain-suppressing tonic, offering a safe and healthy alternative to chemical-based drug products.

How does 19Paths differ from other pain relievers on the market, particularly those using CBD?

If one were to compare the many CBD-infused topical pain relief products currently on the market, one would see that the majority use essential oils such as coconut oil, etc. as a base to deliver the CBD component. Essentially in these cases, CBD alone provides all of the pain-reducing benefits, requiring much higher CBD doses to achieve the required results. 19 Paths delivers 18 additional pain-suppressing ingredients in support of the CBD, essentially requiring less and achieving more.

What has been the response from customers and health professionals since the launch of 19Paths?

Prior to official Cannabis legalization rules, all cannabis products were sold in the legacy market. Over the years we have received hundreds of unsolicited testimonials from our customers praising the results they have achieved regarding how 19 Paths has been more effective than any other pain relief product they have tried for pain from arthritis, fibromyalgia, sciatica etc.

They have also surprised us with testimonials about how it has helped with symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, ALS, Gout, and Trigeminal Neuralgia (facial pain). We have even had recommendations from medical cannabis physicians recommending 19 Paths over their own in-house products.

Athletes, MMA fighters, physicians, and physiotherapists have all endorsed your products. Why do you think 19Paths has been so well-received by such a diverse group of people?

Pain is not restricted to one market segment or generational group. Therefore if there is a remedy that works, the word spreads, and the benefits apply to all. The only challenge is to get people to try the product. It speaks for itself. The sales growth of 19 Paths was solely based on word-of-mouth communication since the marketing of cannabis-based products was not allowed during the 'Legacy Market" years.

One of our most famous high-profile customers was UFC Veteran Elias Theodorou, the first professional athlete and mixed martial artist in the world to be granted a medical cannabis use exemption by a governing body. In January 2020, he was granted a therapeutic use exemption for medical cannabis in competition by the British Columbia Athletic Commission. The exemption allowed him to use cannabis as medicine while training and in preparation for competition without the risk of being penalized or barred from competition.

He found 19 Paths so effective for him that he consented to help us promote the products without compensation (see video).

How long does it take for the pain rub to provide relief and how long do its effects last?

Generally, it takes minutes to feel the beneficial effects once 19 Paths is rubbed onto affected areas. Sometimes depending on the severity of the issue, it takes more than one application to achieve results. Again, depending on severity relief may last from minutes to hours, but generally, 4 to 6 hours per application seems to be the norm.

In addition to providing pain relief, does 19Paths offer any other benefits or uses?

Although we cannot officially make hard medical claims, years of experience have shown that 19 Paths can aid with bruise-reduction, and healing properties in many instances.

Are there any future plans for expanding your product line or incorporating other forms of pain relief?

We are currently in the process of launching our Roll-on version, which has proven to be very popular - especially with women. Because of the strength of our proprietary herbal base, there will be more opportunities for line extension as new elements are discovered.

Now 19 Paths is available in the medical cannabis market across Canada and the recreational market in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Finally, what message would you like to share with those who are currently living with chronic pain and looking for alternative solutions?

Naturally, every product manufacturer would say "Buy our product it is the best". For most people, given the vast range of topical pain relief products on the market, it is difficult if not impossible to economically test different alternatives for efficacy. We have produced an economical sample-size version of 19 Paths to deal with this issue. Our product speaks for itself - it's worth a try.

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