How Chronic Stress May Slow Healing

Presented by Dr. Masoud Shamaeizadeh, DC — Soft Touch Chiropractic, Porter Ranch & Northridge, California
We often think of stress as something that affects our mood, sleep, or energy. But research suggests that prolonged psychological stress may also influence the body's ability to heal.
An Interesting Study on Stress and Wound Healing Researchers studied 13 women who were caring for relatives with dementia—a group experiencing significant ongoing psychological stress—and compared them with 13 women of similar age and income who were not caregivers.
Researchers created a very small, standardized 3.5-mm punch-biopsy wound so they could observe and compare the healing process.
The difference was significant.
The caregivers' wounds took an average of 48.7 days to heal, compared with 39.3 days in the control group—approximately 9 days longer.
The researchers also found differences in an immune-system marker involved in the body's response to injury.
You can read the original research through PubMed: “Slowing of wound healing by psychological stress.”
What Does This Tell Us?This study does not mean that stress is the only factor controlling healing. Age, nutrition, sleep, circulation, medical conditions, medications, activity level, and many other factors can influence recovery.
However, the research provides an important reminder that physical and emotional health are interconnected.
A later systematic review examining multiple studies also found that psychological stress was associated with poorer or slower wound-healing outcomes.
Watch My Video I originally created the video below to explain this fascinating research and why managing chronic stress may be an important part of maintaining overall health.
Watch the video below to learn more about the study and the relationship between stress and healing.

Soft Touch Chiropractic At Soft Touch Chiropractic, serving Porter Ranch, Northridge, and the San Fernando Valley, we believe health involves more than simply addressing pain. Sleep, movement, nutrition, stress management, and musculoskeletal health can all be important parts of a healthy lifestyle.
If you are experiencing neck pain, back pain, headaches, muscle tension, or other musculoskeletal concerns, contact Soft Touch Chiropractic to learn more about our approach to care.
This article is for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose or treat stress-related, psychological, immune, or wound-healing conditions.

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