Feeling itchy can be a very annoying and bothersome sensation. The relief of scratching is only temporary and often results in making us feel worse and even itchier. Read to learn more about why we feel itchy!
First of all, what exactly is an itch? Certified dermatologist Dr. Melanie Palm describes it as "a burning sensation, a slightly electrical or periodic nonpainful sensation, or like something is crawling on the skin." Simply, an itch is caused by nerve cells in the skin being stimulated, which induces us to scratch. As released chemicals in our skin pass through our nervous system while allowing our spine to communicate with our brain, we begin to feel itchy due to those interactions. Certain conditions such as dry skin, hives, or other things that are skin may be exposed to have the potential to result in swelling and nerve irritation of the skin, and the release of chemicals from cells in the affected area makes us feel itchy.
The reason why scratching helps relieve itching is because it is a category of pain that sends minor levels of pain signals to the brain, which temporarily distract it and make us forget about the itching feeling. The pain signals that are released also cause the release of serotonin, a chemical in the brain that makes us feel pleasure. However, serotonin actually resets the cycle of itching and scratching, making us even itchier afterward.
Because itchy is bothersome, our bodies' natural reflex is to look for a way to relieve it, even if it's temporary. This causes us to be in the repetitive cycle of itching, scratching, being itchy again, and scratching again to relieve it.
What are the best ways to eliminate itching? Dr. Palm advises to avoid scratching in the first place, as that is what causes the itching to worsen and become more intense. Moisturizing dry skin can also be a great way to get rid of an itch and soothe your skin. Another method, suggested by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) is to press cold ice or damp cloth onto the itchy area of the skin for ten minutes. Lastly, a foolproof way to ignore the temptation to scratch is to occupy your hands with another task, so that you won't unconsciously scratch an itch and will eventually forget about it as it slowly goes away.
If itching persists even after all these methods have failed to work, the best action to take is to visit a doctor or dermatologist who can diagnose the cause of the itch and provide treatments.
Thank you for reading!
Reference:
Lindberg, Sara. “Why Do We Scratch That Itch?” Healthline, 26 Feb. 2020, www.healthline.com/health/why-do-we-itch#takeaway.
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