If you’ve recently had surgery or experienced a significant injury, you may have suffered tissue damage. When healthy tissue is destroyed, it is replaced by thick, sinewy tissue known as scar tissue. Although scar tissue may initially be painless, as your nerve endings regenerate, the tissue can become extremely uncomfortable and lead you to suffer from chronic pain. Chronic scar tissue pain is a form of complex regional pain syndrome, also known as CRPS. CRPS is a broader term that describes prolonged pain experienced due to an injury or surgery and which is generally out of proportion to the severity of the initial injury.
Symptoms of Chronic Pain Related to Scar Tissue
Scar tissue can occur both externally and internally. It does not always cause any pain to the patient, but it does have the potential to be extremely painful. If you have external scar tissue, you will notice that it has a thicker texture than the rest of your skin. If you experience inflammation, redness, throbbing, sensitivity, or simply pain at the site of the wound, you may be suffering from scar tissue-related pain. While you can’t see internal scar tissue, it can cause similar symptoms which can last for long periods of time. Scar tissue can also lead to a decrease in the function of organs such as the liver and lungs and may cause secondary pain due to the malfunctioning of these organs. In addition, some patients may suffer from fibrosis, which is the excessive production of scar tissue. Fibrosis can lead to chronic pain, inflammation, and loss of function in tissues and joints.
Treatment of Scar Tissue Pain
There are several medical treatments for CRPS and other forms of chronic pain. These include surgery on the scar tissue to either revise or remove the tissue, as well as less invasive procedures such as dermabrasion or laser therapy. Applying topical serums to the tissue or using an over-the-counter antihistamine cream may also help. Finally, there are some at-home pain management techniques such as massage or physical therapy that may alleviate your symptoms.
Another treatment for CRPS and scar tissue pain is ketamine therapy. This safe and effective infusion therapy treats a wide variety of chronic pain conditions and often provides relief for up to 11 months.
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