Healing is Hindered By Stress, but Helped By Oxygen

Researchers at the University of Illinois say that an animal's wounds will heal more slowly if the animal is stressed, but that extra oxygen will almost completely cancel out this effect.

In mice, a number of cellular and genetic changes associated with psychological stress delayed the closing of wounds by over 45%. When the animals were given hyperbolic oxygen, however, this delay was greatly reduced. The reason for this is most likely the fact that stress launches a chain of events which constricts blood vessels, and deprives tissues of oxygen, hindering their ability to heal normally.