Here’s how fights in marriage might affect health
Turns out, when people say that their heart is aching due to a minor squabble with their partners, they are not exaggerating, as generally perceived.
According to a study conducted by the Penn State (a public research university, a fight with a spouse may end in hurt feelings, but for those with chronic conditions like arthritis or diabetes, those arguments may have physical repercussions as well.
The researchers found that in two groups of older individuals — one group with arthritis and one with diabetes — the patients were in a worse mood on days when they felt more tension than usual with their spouse, which in turn led to greater pain or severity of symptoms.
“The findings gave us insight into how marriage might affect health, which is important for people dealing with chronic conditions like arthritis or diabetes,” said researcher Lynn Martire.
People with osteoarthritis in their knees who experience greater pain become disabled quicker, and people with diabetes that isn’t controlled have a greater risk for developing complications.
Additionally, the researchers found that within the group with arthritis, the severity of the patient’s pain also had an effect on tensions with their spouse the following day. When they had greater pain, they were in a worse mood and had greater tension with their partner the next day. “This almost starts to suggest a cycle,” Martire said. “We didn’t find this effect in the participants with diabetes, which may just be due to differences in the two diseases.”
Martire added that the results could potentially help create interventions targeted at helping couples with chronic diseases.