Medicinal Marijuana and Physical Therapy are both seen as solutions for pain relief to avoid the opioid overuse epidemic. However, marijuana is becoming much more popular for doctors to prescribe to their patients over Physical Therapy. Physicians among states that have passed marijuana laws are prescribing the medication more frequently than ever. There is a growing prevalence of marijuana, so most Physical Therapists may be finding that some of their patients are being prescribed. The problem with this is that the drug was prescribed first, over Physical Therapy. The medical excuse standard of care guidelines for using marijuana states that the drug may be prescribed if there is documentation that the patient has had failure of all other conventional medications to treat his or her ailment. Physical therapy is a primary intervention to a broad variety of physical ailments. Yet, many patients these days have tried marijuana long before Physical Therapy. Below are the pros and cons of both Marijuana and Physical Therapy.

Pros of Marijuana:

• Natural cannabis contains 5-15% THC but also includes multiple other therapeutic cannabinoids, all working together to produce analgesia.
• No long-term damage with THC known as of today.

Cons of Marijuana:

• No scientific evidence that marijuana is an effective long-term treatment for glaucoma, particularly when compared to the wide variety of prescription medication and surgical treatments available.
• One study found that frequent marijuana smokers used more sick days that other people often because of respiratory illnesses.
• Evidence clearly indicates that long-term marijuana use can lead to addiction.
• Smoking marijuana may also reduce the respiratory system’s immune response, increasing the likelihood of the user acquiring respiratory infections, including pneumonia.

Pros of Physical Therapy:

• Develop an appropriate and specific program for your condition to ensure a safe and successful return to your normal life.
• Can help you avoid surgery. Before undergoing an expensive surgery, try Physical Therapy. For certain conditions, research has proved that Physical Therapy is as effective as surgery.
• Reduce or eliminate pain. With exercises, manual therapy and joint/soft tissue mobilization, revolutionary treatments can help relieve pain and restore function to prevent pain from returning.
• Management of vascular diseases, diabetes, age-related change, recover from stroke, and mobility improvement.

Cons:

Cost can be a factor that scares people off from getting Physical Therapy. At Lilly PT, we are in network with most all insurances and also have affordable cash packages and payment plans to make sure you get taken care of.

If you or someone you love is suffering from any pain, injury or weakness, try Physical Therapy first. Call my office to schedule your $79 Discovery Exam Special for a limited time only. (425) 224-2476.