Despite the saying “happiness is having a scratch for every itch,” itching often makes the itchy skin condition worse. So why is the instinct so strong? In a study with mice, researchers from the ...

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have uncovered new insights into the dual nature of scratching an itch, indicating that while it can worsen skin inflammation, it can also boost immune ...

Your parents were right: Scratching an itchy rash really does make it worse. Now we know why, thanks to new research published today in the journal Science that uncovers how scratching aggravates ...

How many times were you told not to scratch an itchy rash when you were a kid because you’d only make it worse? Well, it ...

There are many satisfying sensations in day-to-day life, like the feel of fresh, clean sheets, but nothing hits the spot quite like scratching an itch. Whether it's been bugging you for hours or it ...

How does the body know when to stop scratching an itch? New research is giving us more insight. Scientists have long known about the itch-scratch cycle. When an irritant gets on your skin, a ...

One of the greatest pleasures in life is to scratch an itch — in both the real and figurative sense. Although scratching an itch provides immediate (albeit temporary) relief, it may actually trigger ...

Itching can be uncomfortable, but it’s a normal part of your skin’s immune response to external threats. When you’re itching from an encounter with poison ivy or mosquitoes, consider that your urge to ...

When you scratch an itch, something tells your brain when to stop. That moment of relief, when scratching feels "enough," is not accidental. Scientists have now identified a key molecular and neural ...