What is with paper cut and the severe pain?

Has it happened to you that while doing any papercraft you got a cut? Have you noticed that the Ouch is much louder than the Ouch caused due to any other wound? Have you given it a thought as to why paper cut is so hard to ignore? To get answers to all the questions, read through the article.

Why we get so severely hurt by a paper cut?

Like any other body part, our hands also have sensitive nerves. The free nerve endings are called nociceptors. Nociceptors are found in the skin, joints, and viscera. They alert the brain about the injury almost immediately. As soon as the brain perceives the threat as genuine, it creates the feeling of pain. This directs our attention to the body part, mitigating the threat to some extent. This process is called nociception. Our body has n number of nociceptors; thermal, mechanical, chemical, sleeping/silent, and polymodal. The ones that deal with incisions on the skin are mechanical nociceptors. So when we get a paper cut, the nociceptors in that area alert the brain of the wound, and we feel the pain.

Paper cut is not a clean cut. If you observe the edges of the paper under a microscope, you will see that the paper edges are not uniform; they look like sharp teeth of a shark. This causes the wound to be more painful.

Is paper cut harmful?

Paper is made of wood and chemicals. This combination can get stuck inside the skin and can tease the wound leading to an infection. The infection, when not cleaned, can irritate and bother you for days.

How to lessen the pain or avoid the infection?

Firstly, wash the wound after you get a paper cut. Then cover the injury with a band-aid.

Next time while doing any papercraft, along with scissors, gum, and papers, carry a band-aid as well. Nobody can guess when you can get a cut due to the beautiful, colorful, attractive craft paper, or crepe paper, or a card sheet, or a handmade paper. You might not realize until the wound starts throbbing. Better be on the safer side.