# Why has my scar suddenly started twinging? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 11, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246 "2015-11-11T01:58:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/1 "2015-11-11T01:58:29Z")
About 50 years ago I was burned on the knee with boiling undiluted tomato soup. The burn was never properly treated and I have a lumpy scar about 1x3. Lately it has started twinging; sort of like a rubber band snapping under the skin. Prior to this time I can not recall it hurting other than when it first happened. What would cause this? I know, none of us are doctors;) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/2 "2015-11-11T02:15:02Z")
50 years is a long time for it to start acting up. Coincidence would be my guess. Ruling out anything unusual you’ve done to it (started working out, bumped/injured it or something you don’t realize like being overtired, dehydrated, low on magnesium etc), I’d chalk it up to a fluke, and see how it acts over the next day or two. Everyone gets odd little twitches here and there, yours just happened to be on a scar. One question, did you have any kind of a bug bite/hive on it that you’ve been scratching. A while back I got a bug bite right on a tattoo. The tattoo is mostly outline (it’s my avatar if you can see it. After a day or so or scratching it, the tattoo, and only the tattoo, raised up like a tattoo shaped welt. It didn’t twitch, but obviously the whole thing acted as one. I asked about it here, I’ll have to see if there was anything useful in that thread that applies to you. Not a whole lotta help, but here’s the thread. > **[Why was my tattoo raised?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=434245)** > > So about a week ago, I had some itchy things on my forearm. Some sort of bite, in fact I still have them and they still itch. Anyways, one of them has half on and half off one of my tattoos. It was actually kinda neat looking. After a few minutes... ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/3 "2015-11-11T03:38:40Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > One question, did you have any kind of a bug bite/hive on it that you’ve been scratching. I read that as “Bug Hive” and ALL of my skin started twinging. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/4 "2015-11-11T03:44:16Z")
It means Voldemort is back. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/5 "2015-11-11T03:44:53Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > I read that as “Bug Hive” and ALL of my skin started twinging. Look up my new ailment, dermatographia. If I scratch myself (even just scratching an itch without being careful), it leaves a big red welt which takes about a half an hour to go down. Even more fun is about half that time, I’ll end up with a handful of (itchy) hives in random places over the rest of my body. I don’t really care if I’m sitting at home, but I’ve learned not to scratch any exposed skin (specially my face or neck) if I’m out in public. All to often someone will say ‘what the hell happened to you, get clawed by a wild animal?’. ‘No, I just scratched my neck, it’ll go away in a few minutes.’ It’s really strange and took me a while to figure out. PS, do a Google Image Search for the word. People make drawings on their skin with it. It’s called skin writing for a reason. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/6 "2015-11-11T03:47:53Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Look up my new ailment, dermatographia. If I scratch myself (even just scratching an itch without being careful), it leaves a big red welt which takes about a half an hour to go down. Even more fun is about half that time, I’ll end up with a handful of (itchy) hives in random places over the rest of my body. > I don’t really care if I’m sitting at home, but I’ve learned not to scratch any exposed skin (specially my face or neck) if I’m out in public. All to often someone will say ‘what the hell happened to you, get clawed by a wild animal?’. ‘No, I just scratched my neck, it’ll go away in a few minutes.’ > > It’s really strange and took me a while to figure out. > > PS, do a Google Image Search for the word. People make drawings on their skin with it. It’s called skin writing for a reason. That’s…ok. I’ll believe you… ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/7 "2015-11-11T04:20:21Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > That’s…ok. I’ll believe you… Good choice! ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/8 "2015-11-11T07:00:39Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this involves medial opinions, let’s move it to IMHO. Moving thread from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion. ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/9 "2015-11-11T12:41:35Z")
Thank you for your replies ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/10 "2015-11-11T13:12:31Z")
I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/11 "2015-11-11T15:20:45Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Look up my new ailment, dermatographia. If I scratch myself (even just scratching an itch without being careful), it leaves a big red welt which takes about a half an hour to go down. Preach. I developed that for several months, a year ago (as Facebook so kindly reminded me.) It was really awful. I started a regimen of herbal infusions and supplements and it finally went away again. Can’t swear as to causation with a sample size of me, but whatever, I’ll take it. I had to trade it for the occasional niacin flush, but it was worth it. As for the OP, scars are weird. They’re not skin, they’re…stuff. Some fibrous collagen fibers, and some nerves and some disorganized tissue (although the older a scar, the more remodeling has happened, and the more skin type collagen is likely there.) Scars are weaker than skin, and always for the rest of your life more prone to reinjury. It’s possible that you’ve torn something at a very small level that you can’t see, or torn something underneath the visible scar/skin. It’s also possible that you’ve developed a neuroma - a little ball of nerve endings within or near to the scar tissue. Neuromas often hurt, sometimes constantly and sometimes intermittently. Or you may be experiencing some random flare up of inflammation, causing your scar to press on a normal nearby nerve it normally doesn’t touch. If it continues to be a problem, ask your doctor about it. There are procedures and medications that may help, depending on what the problem actually is. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/12 "2015-11-11T16:44:56Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee? [Different disease](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/27/7b/ed/277bed47475cfc38d0f2c254c441feef.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/13 "2015-11-11T17:09:27Z")
> [@CT\_Damsel](#): > > About 50 years ago I was burned on the knee with boiling undiluted tomato soup. The burn was never properly treated and I have a lumpy scar about 1x3. Lately it has started twinging; sort of like a rubber band snapping under the skin. > > Prior to this time I can not recall it hurting other than when it first happened. > > What would cause this? > > I know, none of us are doctors;) Lucky for you, I belive we have among us [an expert on just these kinds of matters](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=771479). ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/14 "2015-11-11T17:16:21Z")
I dunno, scurvy? Are you getting enough vitamin C? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/15 "2015-11-11T17:23:49Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Are you getting enough vitamin C? Ahhhh, enough “C”… as in vitamin Christ. I see what you did there… ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/16 "2015-11-11T17:34:28Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Lucky for you, I belive we have among us [an expert on just these kinds of matters](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=771479). OK so, if I understand the link correctly, twinge in right knee means good thoughts from God? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/17 "2015-11-11T19:02:57Z")
Have you gained or lost weight recently? I also have only a sample size of one, and my surgical scar is only a year old, but as I recovered I lost a lot of weight. When I gained some back recently ☹ the scar would do some twinging. Probably a longshot, but I thought I’d mention it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/18 "2015-11-11T20:23:23Z")
Could be adhesions. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/19 "2015-11-11T20:43:18Z")
I have a keloid on my left hand from a shop accident in middle school, 3-4 decades ago. Occasionally I will go through periods where it will itch and sting or have sharp pains around the edges. It seems to harden sometimes (hormones? aging? weight change? I dunno) and need a period of reduction and moisturizing. I usually buy some generic “wart off” (storng salicylic acid solution) and carefully paint it on only the keloid parts every morning. Then at night I wash it off and put neutrogena night cream on and then a bandage or glove. A few days of this routine (5ish?) and the edges of the scar are pliable enough to play nice with the skin around them. More rarely I will get deep pains underneath it. Nothing to do then but rub it when it’s bad. Also resolves within a few days. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246/20 "2015-11-12T02:37:10Z")
Are you diabetic? Diabetic neuropathy can cause strange things like that. I have an area within my left shin bone that itches occasionally. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-my-scar-suddenly-started-twinging/737246.md?page=2)