Why does a small cut, like a itsy bitsy tear near your fingernail sometimes hurt just as much if not more than a larger more noticeable wound?

Question

Why does a small cut, like a itsy bitsy tear near your fingernail sometimes hurt just as much if not more than a larger more noticeable wound?

In: Biology

Answer 1

With small cuts like you describe, or paper cuts, the cut is so shallow that it doesn’t bleed. As a result, you have nerve endings exposed to air which causes the great amount of pain that you describe. Deeper cuts that bleed, have blood coating the nerve endings and prevent the nerve ending exposure to the air.

Here’s a fantastic LPT for you, if you get a paper cut, wash it, dry it, and then take a stick of chapstick and wipe it over the cut. It will create a barrier between the nerve endings and the surrounding air, and will stop the pain almost instantly. Same for hangnails.