eli5: If your hands get cold and you run them under warm water why does it BURN?

Question

eli5: If your hands get cold and you run them under warm water why does it BURN?

In: 20

Answer 1

When you touch something very cold, like ice, and then suddenly put your hands under warm water, your skin feels a big change in temperature. Your skin has tiny sensors that send messages to your brain. The fast temperature change can make those sensors send lots of messages, and your brain might interpret it as a “burning” feeling, even though it’s not actually hot enough to hurt you. It’s like when you touch something really cold and it feels like an intense tickle – your body’s way of letting you know something different is happening!