Does scar tissue hurt when pressed?

Author: Elijah Rice  |  Last update: Monday, March 31, 2025

Common Symptoms Associated with Scar Tissue: Tenderness or sensitivity to touch. Decreased range of motion or stiffness, mainly if the scar tissue affects underlying muscles or joints.

Does scar tissue hurt when you push on it?

Scar tissue can have a local area of pain when touched or stretched or it can produce a referred pain that feel like that of a nerve which is a constant annoying burn that occasionally turns sharp.

Why does my scar hurt when I press it?

Some people experience scar tissue pain due to fibrosis, which occurs when the body grows excessive scar tissue. Fibrosis causes adhesions that may lead to ongoing pain, inflammation, and loss of function of the tissue or joint. Fibroblasts, which form during scar tissue growth, are responsible for fibrosis.

What does internal scar tissue feel like to touch?

Internal scar tissue overgrowth can cause pain, stiffness, itching, or numbness. Someone with adhesions may feel like they are pulling on internal structures, causing pain and tightness that often increases with certain movements. Adhesions near the joints can significantly impact function and mobility.

When is it too late to massage scar tissue?

For best results, you should perform scar massage for at least 10 minutes, twice a day, for six months. You should only stop sooner than that if the scar starts showing signs of infection or you experience intolerable discomfort.

Can Scar Tissue Contribute to Pain

How to know if scar tissue is causing pain?

The pain may be constant or intermittent, and its intensity can vary depending on factors such as the size and location of the scar, the extent of tissue damage, and individual pain tolerance. Scar tissue pain may accompany other symptoms such as itching, tenderness, or hypersensitivity in the affected area.

What does scar tissue feel like when massaging?

You may feel some pulling. Loosening the scar may be more comfortable to do while the skin is warm (such as after a shower). Make sure your skin is dry and do not use cream so your fingers do not slide while you're trying to do the massage.

What does internal abdominal scar tissue feel like?

Symptoms of adhesions

A person with ARD will usually experience chronic abdominal pain. Typical adhesions form within the first few days after surgery, but symptoms can last for months or even years. Symptoms may be mostly in one area of the abdomen, but are often generalised, vague, 'crampy' and difficult to define.

Does stretching break up scar tissue?

There are many types of therapies for scar tissue, but the standard treatment commonly involves exercise and massage — specifically, stretching and pulling the scar tissue to soften, align and elongate it.

Why does my wound hurt when I press it?

Wound pain can be caused by skin damage, nerve damage, blood vessel injury, infection and ischaemia. It can lead to hypoxia which impairs wound healing and increase infection rates.

What causes old scar tissue to hurt?

Scar Tissue Pain

This is because nerve endings regenerate over time. Pain can also result from fibroblasts causing prolonged inflammation, with symptoms of itching, swelling, tenderness, and sensitivity. This condition is called fibrosis.

Does scar tissue feel like a lump?

You may feel bumps and lumps under the skin. This is normal and is due to the dissolvable sutures under the surface of the skin. These deep sutures take months to completely dissolve and the scar will not be smooth until this time.

What happens if you pick at scar tissue?

Healing wounds may itch, but you should avoid the temptation to scratch them. “Scratching the wound or picking at the scab causes more inflammation, making a scar more likely,” Fisher says.

Does internal scar tissue keep growing?

Why internal scars won't stop growing. Normal scar tissue forms to heal an internal wound and quietly retreats when the job is done. But in many common diseases — kidney, liver and lung fibrosis — the scar tissue goes rogue and strangles vital organs. These diseases are largely untreatable and ultimately fatal.

Is scar tissue hard or soft?

New skin forms as the wound heals. With deeper wounds (into the dermis layer and lower), your body responds by making collagen to repair the wound. Collagen is thicker than the rest of your skin. This thicker, less flexible tissue becomes a scar.

Does scar tissue in abdomen hurt?

In many cases, abdominal adhesions do not cause symptoms. If they do cause symptoms, chronic abdominal pain is the most common symptom. Abdominal adhesions may cause intestinal obstruction, which can be life-threatening.

How do you test for abdominal scar tissue?

The diagnosis of abdominal adhesions is typically done with the assistance of laparoscopy. This procedure involves using a camera to visualize the organs within the abdominal cavity. Routine tests such as X-rays, CT scans, and blood work are useless in diagnosing the adhesion itself.

Can scar tissue make it hard to poop?

Fortunately, most adhesions never cause any problems. But if you're noticing signs of a potential bowel obstruction, like abdominal pain or trouble passing gas or pooping, seek emergency care immediately. Even years after surgery, this scar-like tissue can cause problems.

What happens if you don't massage scar tissue?

You should carry on massaging your scars for at least three to six months after your surgery or injury. What happens if I do not do anything? Your scar could become hard and inflexible or adhesions may form. Scars that cross a joint could stop you being able to bend or straighten the joint (a contracture).

Can massage break up internal scar tissue?

Scar tissue is broken down within a deep tissue massage. A deep, firm pressure is used during a deep tissue massage aiming to get deeper within muscle fibres and tissues. A deep tissue massage breaks down adhesions and collagen fibres that can be caused as a result of scar tissue.

Does heat break up scar tissue?

Heat helps to soften up the scar tissue that exists as a result of an old injury or a previous surgery. Scar tissue is formed in random, criss-crossing patterns, has poor circulation, and contracts when you sleep.

What is the best pain relief for abdominal adhesions?

If pain is a symptom, then over the counter pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen is usually recommended initially but if these do not help then the patient should see a doctor who can recommend other treatments and consider referral to a pain specialist.

What does muscle fibrosis feel like?

One of the primary effects of fibrosis in a muscle is a loss of strength and flexibility. The scar tissue can restrict movement and limit the muscle's ability to contract and relax properly, which can lead to pain and stiffness.

What causes scar tissue to flare up?

The most common cause of surgical scar pain after surgery is a nerve that is injured or stuck in scar tissue. You may not only experience pain from scar tissue, but may also have swelling, itching, and increased sensitivity.

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