Hurting dream meaning is explained below using 2 different sources. Each interpretation is shown with its source.

Interpretation 1 — Nancy Wagaman

Hurting someone else can represent: Feeling vulnerable or the need to protect yourself.

Fear of threat or harm.

Unexpressed anger or other feelings that indicate an opportunity for inner healing.

Hurting yourself can represent: judging or punishing yourself, being overly strict or harsh with yourself, a sign that you may be holding yourself to unhealthy and unrealistic rules, standards, or beliefs, a reminder of the opportunity to love or be more gentle with yourself.

See Injured, Feeling, Bully, Abuse, Judgment or Disapproval, Offensive or Ugly, Scar, Problem, Advice or Opinion, Hurt, Being, Attacking, Ache

Source: The Curious Dreamer’s Dream Dictionary • Author: Nancy Wagaman

Interpretation 2 — Eric Ackroyd

(.1) Physical hurt in a dream may symbolize hurt feelings. But dreams will often be specific - if, for example, the dream wants to draw’ your attention to humiliation, humiliation will be felt in the dream.

(2) Try to identify with and ‘converse’ with both the person / animal that is hurt and the one who inflicts the hurt, and also with the hurt itself or the hurt part of the person / animal. In this way you w’ill eventually unpack the meaning of the dream.

Source: A Dictionary of Dream Symbols • Author: Eric Ackroyd