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 ...

I remember it well: our dark winter of itch when the kids were small. It started with a note sent home—years before the pandemic—that my child had been exposed, not to a deadly virus but to lice.

Have you ever wondered why scratching sometimes makes itching even worse? The neurotransmitter serotonin has been fingered as one troublemaker as the brain tries to control pain caused by scratching.

Sometimes, as the saying goes, you need to scratch an itch. But when you literally have the urge to scratch, what's causing it? Especially since most of the time, it can make the problem worse. "I'm a ...

For the best experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Itching study 'finds chemical that makes us scratch' Researchers have found a chemical ...

It can be a relief to scratch the occasional itch, but when itch gets out of control, it can become a serious health problem. How does the body know when to stop? Scientists at UC San Francisco are ...

It can be a relief to scratch the occasional itch, but when itch gets out of control, it can become a serious health problem. How does the body know when to stop? It can be a relief to scratch the ...

Q: Is it true that you shouldn’t scratch itchy skin? What should I do instead? A: Scratching an itch can damage your skin and make the urge even worse. Instead, try rubbing or gently stroking it with ...

MINNEAPOLIS — As winter finally makes its presence felt, so does a symptom of the frigid air. Dry skin is forming and many of you might treat it in a painful, yet relieving way. Why does dry skin itch ...

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts. Russell has ...