What is itch
I’ve come across an interesting article from the New Yorker about a woman who scratched her way through her scalp due to an insatiable feeling: an itch. When you feel that sensation, our natural reflex requires us to scratch. That’s how it is, right? Scratch the itch. This woman, she has this unique condition: after an episode of shingles on her head, the reactions to the acyclovir, an antiviral drug, started to kick in. after the pain, the area where once the shingles were became numb and an in credibly irritating itch started occurring. It was so intense that even at night while sleeping, she had to scratch and scratch and scratch, till she reached her brain.
What causes itch
Understanding what causes itch can be quite a diverse aspect to tackle. It could be due to the prickling fibers of hair on your forehead, the irritating bite from an insect or maybe due to non skin conditions. It could, possibly, be a case of how the brain works, of psychosis and the brain. When you are stressed, tell you did not ever try scratching your head. The itch is a very unique sensation and it cannot be separated from scratching. There are specific nerves that cause itching and when these nerves become damaged, the sensation of itching can become prominent and incredibly annoying. However, according to more unconventional studies, the exact opposite could also occur: the nerves causing the itch on a specific body part could be dead and the brain could have a problem, causing the sensation.
Stop itch
In the last few decades, more and more findings about the brain and its connection to human sensations have expanded, including research on itching. Can you stop itch? It is apparently with a good scratch that could cause a good relief but it can go back. And how about that woman who even scratched deep to her skull? Classical knowledge, therefore, are overturned by new ones as expected in the evolving world of medicine. With increasing studies, it was seen that perception can have an effect on the sensations. The studies on itch, perception and its effect on humans is still a big, field to tackle. Think about that the next time you scratch, or feel the need to.