Wound Care Question - painful scars

RAWWR · 09-12-2014, 06:21 PM

Hey guys, I'm not really sure if anyone will be able to help me here but I thought I would ask anyways
So I have some scarring on my chest, the cuts were very deep and I never sought medical advice, but they seemed to heal fine and that was that
This was about a year and a half ago now, but I've suddenly found that they are becoming painful, especially when cold. And by painful I mean I am regularly found clutching my chest near tears. The pain seems to be like an achey pain where the actual scars are, but I also find that I keep getting shooting pains then from the scars to my nipple and my nipple is becoming quite sore now as its just constant ATM. I really don't know what to do about it. Any advice will be greatly appreciated :)

Time · 09-12-2014, 09:01 PM

Hi!

Have you googled "neuropathic pain" and " neuroma formation".

Hope it helps.

-------------------- · 09-12-2014, 10:31 PM

Scar tissue isn't elastic so when it's cold the muscle tightens and pulls the scar tissue causing pain. I use a hot water bottle for the pain.

Animad · 13-12-2014, 08:37 AM

It could be a couple of different things. Firstly it make be that the scar tissue is becoming tight and that starts to pull on the skin/ other tissues affected and causing this pain. This would potentially worsen in the cold as your tissues tend to tighten up more then and so that could worsen it. If it's just your skin then massaging the scars, maybe using a bit of cocoa butter, bio oil or vit e cream may help.

Also, it could be that you've damaged a nerve(s) and that's sending the shooting pains across and these are often (though not always) worse in the cold. There isn't really anything you can do at home to help this.

Really as it sounds like it's been going on a while it is probably worth your talking to your GP who can assess you and decide where to go next and help diagnose what the actual problem is. It may be that a specialist scar tissue physiotherapist could help or then there's trying medications or even surgery but there is likely somthing that will help.

I would suggest that it is unlikely to be a neuroma. This is a tumour of the nerve and as this is an area that is scarred then the scar tissue is much more likely to be the primary cause rather than a tumour which is somewhat further down the list of possibilities below something doing on with the muscles (which I also haven't mentioned).

Rosie3901505 · 16-12-2014, 08:04 AM

My SI scars were particularly thick and nasty and even burned for about a year. I got them checked out by a doctor and it just takes a really long time to heal inside, especially if they are deep. They are also filled with collagen which makes them extra sensitive. Hope this helps! If you're concerned you should see a doctor and check for infection.