Suffering with inflammation around cut (12)

I believe the answer is:

wretchedness

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'cut' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both states of affairs as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?

I can't explain the remainder of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for wretchedness that I've seen before include "Miserable state" , "Misery" , "Despondency" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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