Why do we itch?!?

Question

just wondered.....

Answer 1

The skin on our bodies has a sensitive defence system within it that makes us aware of any annoying things that touch the body. Sometimes it might be something like a fly or an insect. The sensors in our skin react and tell our brain that something is crawling on us and our brain instructs our hand to brush the offender off.
Sometimes we come into contact with something that is dangerous to us, such as insect bites or poisionous plants. SInce the average body is covered in about 20 sq feet of skin, it is constantly exposed to irritation. If something irritates the sensors in our skin, we need to itch it to relieve the sensation. The same sensors that are used to deliver the message to our brains that we need to itch our skin are the very same sensors that send pain messages to our brain. It is possible to ignore an itch, but you have to have huge amounts of will power to do so. Try it next time you get an itch and see how long you can hold off from itching!

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Itch is an uncomfortable sensation caused by irritation of particular nerve endings in the skin. Nerve fibers have special endings that are tiny organs able to receive messages. Some nerve endings receive pressure sensations, some receive temperature, and some receive pain. Stimulation of pain nerves in the skin sometimes results in itching.

Itching is a symptom and not a disease. Most commonly it is a symptom of skin diseases. Many different causes may produce itching. A common cause is some chemical that touches the skin and irritates it. An allergy may release chemicals that make the skin swell and itch.

Answer 4

Nerves send us the nasty, prickly feelings. While some nerve fibers focus on feeling pain and touch, we have others dedicated to the itch sensation.

Histamine, a protein released during an allergic reaction, commands some of our itch nerves to transmit information to the spinal cord where it is processed and zipped off to the brain. The sites activated in the brain when we itch are very similar to those switched on when we're in pain. Antihistamine drugs work by disabling the protein's signaling powers.

However, histamines aren't the only chemicals in the body that cause annoying tingles.

Fibers sensitive to itch were first discovered almost a decade ago by Schmelz. Recently, he's found the existence of new fibers that stimulate itchy feelings in a different way than the histamine-sensitive nerves he previously identified.

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Answer 5

Generally if its just an itch, its ur skin tellin u r dehydrated n need to up ur water intake as ur skin is drying out...n perhaps moisturiser wud b a gd idea too..
If ur skin itches when u wear summin in particular, u cud b allergic to summin in it..e.g. nylon or polyester..this cud cause eczema which is not a disaster but can b treated from the dr by gettin oilatum n by u by changin wot u wearin...
If u've been itchin for a while, n its now red with bumps and cuts, u've cut the skin n most likely its infected so u'll need to see a dr for an emolient like fucidin..it'l kill the infection n help restore the skin again...
Hope this helps...n dont scratch is a bigger best tip too! U'll only make things worse n ur skin wont repair...x

Answer 6

Itching is a peculiar tingling or uneasy irritation of the skin that causes a desire to scratch the affected area.


Alternative Names are Pruritus Considerations:

Itching may be over the whole body, or only in a particular location. There are many causes of itching, ranging from the simple to the complex.

Insect bites and stings may cause localized itching and skin irritation.

Either localized or generalized itching may be caused by:

Chemical irritation, such as from poison ivy or stinging nettle
Environmental causes such as sunburn
Hives
Parasites (body lice, head lice, pubic lice)
Generalized itching may be caused by:

Infectious diseases (chicken pox)
Allergic reactions
Kidney disease
Liver disease with jaundice
Reactions to medications

Common Causes:

Insect bites
Dry skin
Contact dermatitis (poison ivy or poison oak)
Contact irritants (such as soaps, chemicals, or wool)
Atopic dermatitis
Rashes (may or may not itch)
Childhood infections (such as chicken pox or measles)
Aging skin
Allergy caused by food or drugs (antibiotics)
Superficial skin infections such as folliculitis and impetigo
Pregnancy
Hepatitis
Iron deficiency anemia
Parasites such as pinworm
Pityriasis rosea
Psoriasis
Seborrheic dermatitis
Urticaria
Drugs such as antibiotics (penicillin, sulfonamides), gold, griseofulvin, isoniazid, opiates, phenothiazines, or vitamin A.

I hope this answers your question.

Answer 7

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Normally, I would not answer a question like this as my expertise is generally in medication but I had severe sciatica while I was pregnant with my 3rd child (after having had twins) and I had sciatica so bad that I was finding it difficult to walk. I tried massage therapy and physical therapy and could not take medication
I went to the chiropractor and the pain was instantly relieved. My hips and lower back were out of alignment because I had carried twins the year before. On occasion a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) can also work but they usually only work on one joint at a time - the chiropractor will do your whole back which works faster. Anyone who does not believe in chiropractors will tell you they are quacks - don't listen.
I don't necessarily believe that chiropractors can cure things like diabetes but they can definitely relieve some types of back pain especially if a pinched nerve is involved which is usually the cause of sciatica.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

Because something has irritated the skin, the body produces histamines to attack the intruder. If it is a prolonged problem then use an anti-histamine cream , though this in itself can cause problems, so use anti-histamine tablet, such as Piriton. Most itches go away, the worst thing to do is scratch as the body then produces more histamine. Just rub the area, but in one direction only, or bathe with hot water, but this is not good for the skin itself!

Answer 10

An itch is a pain in the skin, like any pain it is simply a neural response to a stimulation. When we scratch we are simply replacing one pain with another. Why we itch is quite fundemental to the human species. We produce a substance called hystamine which is produced at the lowest level of our skin and it is this that triggers the neural response. Hope this helps