Medical Cannabis for Back Pain and Sciatica

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people in Poland see a doctor. The lower back, the neck, sciatica radiating down the leg - when it becomes chronic, ordinary painkillers and physiotherapy sometimes are not enough, and stronger pain medication has its limits and side effects.

Medical cannabis is considered when standard treatment does not bring enough relief. It is not a first choice or a miracle cure - it is a supportive option that a doctor selects after assessing the individual case.

Pain perception is governed in part by the endocannabinoid system - a network of receptors in the nervous system that compounds from cannabis, mainly THC and CBD, act on. They can reduce the transmission of the pain signal and ease the muscle tension around the spine.

This matters most for neuropathic pain - such as sciatica, where an irritated nerve keeps sending pain signals even without a new injury. Neuropathic pain often responds poorly to classic medication, yet can ease with medical cannabis.

We explain the mechanism itself in our article the endocannabinoid system.

For the spine, medical cannabis is most often considered with:

The doctor makes the decision - reviewing previous treatment, medication and any contraindications. The goal is not to drop everything else, but to add an effective element to the therapy.

Therapy starts with small doses that are gradually matched to how your body responds - this lowers the risk of side effects. The form (usually dried flower for vaporisation or oil) and the strain profile are matched by the doctor to whether you need more daytime relief or better sleep at night.

We cover dosing rules in the guide dosing medical cannabis, and the differences between forms in oil or dried flower.

The first visit takes place in person - in Krakow, Bydgoszcz, Torun or Kielce. The doctor takes a history, reviews your records and, if there are indications, qualifies you for therapy and issues an ePrescription to fill at a pharmacy.

You book a slot online or by phone at 731 000 645. The qualifying visit costs 169 PLN. We describe getting a prescription step by step in how to get a prescription.