Scar hypersensitivity and pain

[Crossbow]

[Background]
I had ankle surgery back in April to remove a bone spur. The surgery went well, but there were a few small issues for the recovery. The incision closed for the most part, but there were two small spots that would just not heal completely.

I went back to the podiatrist, and found out that two of the internal sutures never completely dissolved and were irritating the area. He went back in and took them out, then closed things up with two small external stitches. The stitches came out this past Monday, after 10 days at Disney World with no problems at all.
[/Background]

Since removing the last two stitches, I've found that the scar is incredibly sensitive to touch and hurts almost all the time. It seems to be completely closed up (at least there's no evidence that it's still open), but anything other than a bandage touching it has me practically screaming. If I roll over at night the wrong way, I wake up with a yelp.

I know scar pain happens, and if it doesn't improve in the next week, I'll talk to my regular doctor as well as the podiatrist about it, but has anyone else experienced the sme thing? I'm not looking for advice as much as personal experiences...

[kukla]

I broke my leg in a pretty nasty accident when I was teen. I have scars that run from my knee to my ankle on the shin of my right leg. It's been over 20 years since that accident and I still have issues with pain due to the scars. Phantom pain for no reason, fabric touching it wrong, hitting my shin against furniture will put me out the ground in tears. My husband as learned to ask me which leg is that before putting his hand down on it.
The pain I feel isn't as bad as it was when it first happened but the pain will always be there. When it first happened most doctors when I told them of the pain treated me as if it was all in my head or that I was just making it up to be difficult. Which I probably was since I screamed and kicked anytime they tried to touch my scars, (not on purpose it was an automatic reaction to the pain).
I know you did as for advice, but I will say if your doctors recommend PT take it. Over the last 2 years I have been working with a massage therapist in working on my scars. I don't know if its made it hurt less, but I hope that maybe someday with this work my husband can finally put his hand on either of my legs and not worry about me yelping.

[Aethian]

Every so often the scar I have from going through a window feels like its open.

[Seshat]

There are topical treatments that can help scars to heal: speak to your doctor and your pharmacist about them. When my father sliced his fingertips off, they gave him a tube of a prescription cream to help the fingers heal.

[Crossbow]

Thanks. I plan on talking to my PCP about it. Biggest problem I have is because of the location, I can't wear any shoes that have a back to them. No sneakers, dress shoes, sandals with a back strap... And it's getting close to winter. Flip-flops and Crocs just won't cut it in Cleveland in January...

[Sunshine]

Im scarred from a burn on my arm. Its painful still but has lessened with time. Maybe mderma could help...might soften the skin. I put aloe lotion, regular lotion, and sunscreen on my arm to combat sleeve irritation.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

I have scars on the pads of my fingers on one hand from severe burns. It happened about 20 years ago, and I am still not able to touch things properly with them, I still turn my fingers in when I wear gloves (and prefer mittens so I can ball my hand up, so the fingertips won't touch the fabric) I still type with the side of my fingers instead of the pads of the fingers, and I still curl my hand awkwardly and use the area between the first and second joint to use hand tools. For the casual observer it is almost unnoticeable because I am so used to it. In twenty some years I have progressed from being unable to touch anything, ever, to being barely able to touch smooth surfaces (like a wall) lightly - so not much progress at all!

On the other hand I have 15 year old scars from a surgery on my arm that were extremely painful in the beginning, that I would wrap and bandage for almost a year afterwards, even though they were fully healed, if I had to wear a long sleeve shirt over them, so it wouldn't rub. Yet by the time they were less than three years old, it felt so normal I was able to get a tattoo to cover them. I think that it was having to have fabric, bandages, people touching etc all the time that caused those ones to toughen up and the others to stay extremely painful.

I could also be completely wrong, and they just healed differently for whatever reason.

[raudf]

Year off from a c-section and I'm still getting twinges as the nerves realize that they are "there" again. The scar itself isn't too tender, just itchy when a nerve finally starts getting info from a numb spot. When the itchy starts, I just use a bit of lotion on it. A day or two later, the itchy settles.

[Cooper]

I used icy-hot for my dent from a broken leg, but when the pain got so bad I couldn't even wear socks, I went to the doctor. She put me on a medicine usually used for arthritis (which has been a pain in the butt with the insurance company) and the pain disappeared.

[Mishi]

I have a scar in a very delicate place; 7 years on and it still aches every so often. It has calmed down quite a bit, so hopefully yours will too.

[Sapphire Silk]

I've been having nerve pain in my foot ever since my plantar fasciitis surgery. There's inflammation where the nerve is that is still healing.

Follow up with your podiatrist. It may go away on its own, or not. She can give you a better idea.

[42_42_42]

Until you get in to the doc again, try taking advil/motrin (ibuprofen) or aleve. They're anti-inflammatories and if the pain is caused by inflammation, should help.