Worry Wounds

When we slice a finger or scrape a knee, we rush to disinfect and
bandage the cut; few of us breathe deeply and relax. But research shows
that psychological stress may be just as harmful to a wound's healing as
neglecting physical treatment.

Phillip T. Marucha, D.M.D., Ph.D., Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, Ph.D.,
and Mehrdad Favagehi, D D.S. of Ohio State University recruited 11 dental
students to see if a commonplace stressor, like an exam, would delay the
healing of a wound. The future dentists consented to have their own
palates punctured--"a minor pain, like a pizza burn," says
Kiecolt-Glaser--once during summer vacation, and once again three days
before the first test of the new semester.

The results were clear: no subject's puncture wound healed as
quickly during exams as during vacation. The wounds took about eight days
to heal completely during the summer break, but almost 11 days during
exams--a 40% increase in recovery time.

Researchers also measured the students' levels of interleukin
(IL)-1 Beta, a substance integral to wound healing, in part because it
facilitates the regrowth of skin and recruits inflammatory cells to the
site of damage. "It's the quintessential immunological agent; it does
everything," emphasizes Marucha. Subjects' IL-1 Beta levels declined an
average of 68% during exams.

If even a mild routine strain like exams can retard healing,
conclude the scientists, then surgical patients and others who suffer
larger gashes and greater anxiety than the students in this study face a
huge health risk. The healing of tiny oral tissue wounds, they believe,
can reflect how quickly other parts of the body will recover after
injury. By inhibiting immune system functioning, stress can lead to
infection and weakness in hospital patients.

"Wounds with long healing times can be a real drain if you've just
had surgery," explains Kiecolt-Glaser. "It's a big deal it! You're just
sitting there with an open wound. Closing it is an important--and
exhausting--task for the body."

Luckily, there are ways that the injured can speed the recovery
process. "Make sure that they get enough rest," says Kiecolt-Glaser.
"Otherwise, they increase the stress hormones which can disrupt
healing."