What is an itch? What would it look like under a microscope?

Answer 1

When the skin is irritated, the nerves are stimulated to send an electrical impulse to the brain which is interpreted as an itch (the same nerves are used to conduct pain signals, so biologists assume that an itch is just a "non-painful" pain sensation). So under a microscope you wouldn't see anything. Actually, an itch can also occur with no skin irritation; the nerves are just activating randomly for no physical reason.

Answer 2

That would depend on what is causing the itch. If it is dry skin, that is what you would see under the microscope. If it were do to a small insect or micro-organism, that is what you would see. There has to be something that causes the itch. If it were neurological, you would not see anything under the microscope.

Answer 3

an itch is a irritation of the nerves. sometimes, youre body "tests" your nervous system to see if it still works correctly, if it doesn't, it corrects the problem. there is also another kind of itch, of course you know this one, if something rubs... well you know that. and no, you cannot look at a nerve through a microscope. it would take some sort of super technology that goes under your skin to view a nerve.

Answer 4

Sometimes it can be psychologically induced, but most of the times an itch is just our skin's way of reacting to different stimuli.

THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RASH AND ITCHING.

An itch (Latin: pruritus) is a sensation felt on an area of skin that causes a person or animal to desire to scratch that area. It is a distressing symptom that can cause discomfort. Scratching may cause breaks in the skin that may result in infection. Itching can be related to anything from dry skin to undiagnosed cancer.

The central chemical involved in itching is histamine, a molecule released by mast cells in the skin. Histamine is the chemical that causes the itch and reddening when bitten by insects. It binds to local nerve endings on specific receptors.

An itch from cutaneous (skin-related) stimuli, such as movement of small hairs on the body, is transmitted along the same pathway as pain. An itch caused by histamine is transmitted to the brain by a different neural pathway. As with pain, a histamine-induced itch travels via the spinothalamic tract, but in fibers specific for itch.

Histamine is a biogenic chemical (created by the body) involved in local immune responses as well as regulating physiological function in the gut and acting as a neurotransmitter.

It means that if it itches, your immunitary system is working.

Answer 5

Agreed: the cause of the itch may be found & examined, but like all sensations, the sensation itself is an experience which is percieved in the mind & cannot be viewed by anyone else.

;-)

Answer 6

I'm not sure if it's physical, because I've heard of people who have lost limbs/amputations who would still get itches, say, on their toes, even though their leg is gone.

Answer 7

I agree with them ^

Answer 8

venom

Answer 9

wow, good question