York Township Volunteer Service by Gardenia C. Hung

HOW I BECAME SICK AFTER VOLUNTEERING TO CLEAN WITH CLOROX HANDWIPES AND LATEX GLOVES AND SPRAY ALL THE HANDLEBARS, DOORKNOBS, METAL PLATES, DUST DIRTY TABLES AND CHAIRS IN THE AUDITORIUM, HALLWAY AND LOBBY ?

I DEVELOPED A BACKACHE AND A SORE RIGHT SHOULDER AND PAIN ON THE UPPER BACK WITH STIFFNESS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE NECK AND HEADACHE MIGRAINE WITH ALLERGIES, HIGH FEVER, CONGESTION, SNEEZING, AND A SKIN RASH ON THE RIGHT HAND FINGERS. EXTREME PAIN AND ACHE ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DOCTOR AND TAKEN PAIN RELIEVERS DURING NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2009. COURTESY: G.C. HUNG

HHS Healthbeat: Arguing Raises High Levels of Cytokines Associated with Health Conditions Causing Heart Disease

,HHS HealthBeat (December 17, 2009)
Non-fighting words


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From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Arguing can raise levels of body chemicals called cytokines, which fight infection. But continued high levels of cytokines are associated with conditions such as heart disease.

Researcher Jennifer Graham at Penn State has been looking at ways for couples to work on their differences without amping up their cytokines.

As part of her study, she had couples flip the hot switches on topics like money and in-laws.

Graham found that use of reasoning words during a fight controlled cytokines. So reasoning may be better than fighting, for your health and relationship – and:

[Jennifer Graham speaks] "Expressing yourself clearly and thinking deeply about conflict may also help lead to a resolution of the situation."

The study in the journal Health Psychology was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: December, 16 2009