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Saturday, June 18, 2011

Crying is actually good for you...no kidding!

     Although I don't like to cry often, it really does provide  not only a good emotional release but I have discovered over the years that it also helps me physically when pain and frustration get to be overwhelming thanks to the RA. 
     I know that seems odd, because you would think the feelings that often come to the surface with crying would actually aggravate symptoms but truly, for me, that is not the case.  I used to hear that "a cry will do you good" but I never realized until RA just how true that really is!
     There are actually 5 distinct ways that crying can help us manage our RA...no kidding...
     1) Stress:  Crying can lower your stress levels. Crying helps to remove some of the chemicals and hormones that are built up in the body from stress. If you compare shedding tears to shedding sweat during exercise, the same process occurs. Exercising relieves stress and removes built up chemicals in the body. However, if you hold back your tears, you can increase your stress levels which can lead to other health issues such as high blood pressure and heart problems.
     2) Mood:  Crying is associated with an emotional response. When tears are shed, the endocrine system releases endorphins (“feel-good” hormones) that stabilize the mood. When we cry, we give our bodies the ability to stabilize and become content again.
     3)  Cold and Flu Prevention:  Tears are natural antibacterial and antiviral solutions that work to fight the germs that we get in our eyes. The fluid lysozyme in tears is capable of killing up to 95% of all bacteria in a matter of minutes. Just like your nose has hair and nasal tunnels to collect bacteria and germs, your eyes have tears to help prevent you from getting sick!
     4)  Detox: Studies showed that tears that are formed out of emotional distress or grief had more toxic byproducts in them than tears of irritation (from itching or onion peeling). This means that emotional tears, tears made of stress, are capable of removing wastes and toxins from our body.
     5)  Lubrication:  One of the most important things that tears do for us is that they enable us to see. Tears moisten our eyes and prevent dehydration of the membranes surrounding the eyeball. Without tears to lubricate our eyes, we would not be able to see.  Sjogren's Syndrome, which often accompanies RA is an autoimmune disease that creates real issues with tears and saliva for many of us!
     This has been a tough two weeks for me as I have been attempting (for the third and final time!) to get off the corticosteroid that I have taken now for over 2 years at a low dose to help with the remicade infusions.  It did not work and once again the pain, swelling, fatigue and this time even a low grade fever that accompanied the flare produced LOTS of tears!  I noticed that each time the tears came...which I did not always allow....I felt some short time relief however brief.  When I held them back I actually felt much worse and found that the days were even more difficult.  Now clearly I could not spend  my days crying and sobbing but what I did determine is that allowing myself some quiet time to shed some tears and really release the sadness and frustration was "healing" in its own right.
     I also was crying from fear to be totally honest.  I had discussed with my rheumatologist at my last visit that it was probably time to move onto a different biologic DMARD and that always gives me pause.  I worry about whether a new one will work, how long will it take to work, will I still need the d--- corticosteroid or will it work effectively without it and for how long?  So far the longest any DMARD has worked for me is 4 1/2 years.  I worry that I will exhaust all of the options and then what???  So, decisions, decisions, and with that comes fear, anxiety, stress, and eventually tears...but that is OK!
     As I have discovered, tears are truly one of the miracles of the human body that can actually serve a huge purpose for all of us and be yet another tool in the management of RA!
So go watch a "tearjerker" movie and enjoy the benefits of tears!   Nan

5 comments:

deb aka murphthesurf said...

So true! So true! I use my shower when I need a good "by myself cry". And just wondering...you mentioned getting off preg. I hope your doc is helping you do it slowly...I mean a really slow taper as you have been on it for two years. If he/she isn't tapering you a teeny tiny bit at a time over several weeks...well you are gonna flare and big time!

Nan said...

yes we were tapering very slowly, actually rocking between 2 an 4 mg for two weeks, then 2 for two weeks and then the flare became unbearable so I gave up. This is the third try so I believe it is the DMARD no longer working thus the reason we are switching to Simponi.

Anonymous said...

Great post. My naturopath always tells me, "crying is good for you." She too believes it is a way to detox.

Cathy
http://thelifeandadventuresofcatepoo.blogspot.com/

Jan said...

I find it hard to cry. I know crying is good for you. I am impressed that you have reduced your preg. so much. I am trying, too, but am at 12.5 mg. and hoping to get to 10, but flared a few weeks ago when I tried to do that.

Anonymous said...

Never knew that about the benefits of crying. Thanks for the post!