Why do we itch?

Question

and why dies the word 'itch' make you itch

it made me and i know it made you do the same

Answer 1

So we can scratch...

Answer 2

Itch is an unfortunate symptom of many conditions. Reactions from exposure to plants, animals and metals flare up the creepy crawlies. Weather plays a part too, along with bacteria, disease and parasites. Stress can also aggravate itching.

Here's a sample of things that make us itch:
Mosquitoes, mites, snails, lice
Poison ivy, poison oak, cowhage, stinging nettle
Dry skin
Jewelry
Herpes
Stress and anxiety
Staph infections
Psoriasis
Sunburn
Soaps and frequent hand washing
According to the American Medical Association, soaps are often overused. "Often, extremely mild cleansing lotions or water alone is sufficient to keep most of the skin adequately clean," the group states.

The itch-making nerves run up your spine, and they have a couple of remarkable features. First of all, they cross over from right to left. Itches on your right side stimulate the left side of your brain. Secondly, strong itch signals often induce a reflex right in your spine before those signals ever make it to your brain. Ever had an itch so strong that you just squirm to rub against some scratch-worthy object, or so sudden that you find your hand reaching for it and scratching before you can even think about it? Your arm and elbow twist and move in just the right way, all without much going on in your head. That spine-reflex business is what makes you pull your hand back without thinking when you touch something very hot. Ouch! But the pain signals and itch signals travel on what's called a spinothalamic tract. It runs up your spine to the part of your brain called the thalamus. There, your brain works on a complex calculation accounting for how strong the itch signal is, where it's coming from on your body, and what motions you have to perform to scratch that itch away

Answer 3

Itching, also known as pruritus, starts with some kind of external stimuli, including bugs, dust, clothing fibers and hair. Like tickling, itching is a built-in defense mechanism that alerts your body to the potential of being harmed. In this case, it might be the potential of being bit by a bug.

When the stimuli lands on your skin, it may not bother you at first, but soon it will begin to rub back and forth across your skin. Once the hair or dust scratches your skin's surface layer, receptors in the dermis of the skin will become irritated. In a split second, these receptors send a signal through fibers in the skin to your spinal cord and then up to the cerebral cortex in your brain.

The same fibers that send itching signals are also used to send pain signals to the brain, which once led some scientists to believe that itching was a form of light pain. That notion has since been dispelled by research, which showed that pain and itching elicit opposite responses. Pain causes us to withdraw and itching causes us to scratch.

As soon as we feel an itch, our first natural response is to scratch the spot of the itch with our fingernails. The reason for this response is simple -- we want to remove the irritant as soon as possible. Once you've scratched the area of irritation, you are likely to feel some relief. When your brain realizes that you've scratched away the irritant, the signal being sent to your brain that you have an itch is interrupted and therefore no longer recognized by the brain.

Answer 4

You should check this Sciatica Natural Treatment
http://cure-sciatica.info

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. Try a reputable chiropractor ASAP!

Answer 5

Usually because of dry skin and or taking too many baths. Allergies also cause this. Try a good lotion such as Gold Bond for extremely dry skin. Good luck.

Answer 6

Its your body's way of helping you get rid of extra dry skin. There could also be an irritation on your skin like oil from poison ivy, or dry sewat, or even too much heat (excessive friction).

Answer 7

An irritation of the nerves. Itching is actually the healing of your nerves from the irritation.

Answer 8

once you itch you cant stop that is the simple question.

Answer 9

because you haven't taken a bath in 3 days.

Answer 10

didnt make me itch...

Answer 11

allergies,dry skin,poison ivy, animal hair, dust, flowers plaints