Why does salt burn in open wounds?
Everyone knows salt in an open cut hurts like hell, but why? What exactly is it about salt that makes it burn?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
12 Answers
We need Bill Nye the Science Guy. Hurts slugs too
It absorbs water like hell.
I’m not sure what makes it sting so bad, but I think it speeds up osmosis and basically burns it shut. Yes? Yes? Maybe?
Ever poured salt over a jelly fish? MUAHAHAAA
You would murder your own kind?!!?
One idea: Salt is an astringent and has a drying effect, it helps draw out infection. All astringents from rubbing alcohol to lemon juice will sting an open sore.
A better one:
“The reason that salt stings a cut is that as the salt dissolves, it causes the fluid surrounding damaged tissues to become extremely hypertonic (which means that the concentration of salt and other electrolytes is higher than it is in normal body fluids).
Pain-sensing neurons have receptors on them that respond to a variety of stimuli. For example, there is a specific receptor that responds vigorously to capsaicin, which is the substance that gives jalapeño and habanero peppers their kick. So, quite literally, when you are adding hot pepper to food, you are (carefully, I hope!) inducing the sensation of pain to complement the other flavors of the meal.
More recently identified is a receptor that responds to changes in electrolyte concentration—such as the change that a large amount of salt induces. Thus, putting salt on a wound stimulates pain-sensing neurons in much the same way hot pepper does.
When tissue is damaged, many pain receptors become sensitized—that is, they need a much lower level of stimulation to respond than they normally would. (For example, after you have burned your mouth, try eating some spicy food that you could normally handle—ouch!) Salt may then compound the pain by further damaging injured tissues and making them more sensitive in general.”
Salt absorbs water. When you put salt on an open wound, you draw fluids to that area. This causes a lot of inflammation. The inflammation presses against pain receptors in the skin, causing the stinging sensation.
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
