I've used medical MJ for years for pain. Yes...it helps. But there is nothing like a good "opioid" when the pain is the worst. An occasional cortisone shot also makes MJ seem like relatively nothing in comparisan. This whole MJ thing is way over-hyped IMO by people who just want to get high. I don't. And I certainly don't like getting so wasted I can't function for a relatively minimal pain relief. THat's my experience anyhow.