Contents:
- Medical Video: When You Can't Scratch Away An Itch
- Why does scratching make itchiness even worse?
- Be careful the skin becomes injured if it is scratched continuously
- Then how to stop scratching the itch?
Medical Video: When You Can't Scratch Away An Itch
When itching arises, without realizing it your fingers immediately scratch the surface of the skin. It feels good to scratch the itchy skin, but did you know that it turns out scratching only worsens your itching?
Why does scratching make itchiness even worse?
Do you often feel more itchy even though you have scratched the surface of the skin that feels itchy before? Yes, research has even stated that scratching makes the skin itchy. Why does this happen?
To stop the itching, the brain does tell you to scratch it. When you scratch, your nerves send a signal of pain to your brain, not itching. The goal is so that this itching is "lost" when replaced with pain. Do not believe? Just try to remember again, what did you feel after the itchiness disappeared due to scratching by your fingers? And after you feel sick, your skin will feel more itchy right?
So this way, your skin itches can be caused by various things, whether it's due to inflammation due to exposure to foreign substances, insects, or skin infections. Then, when you feel itchy, you reflexively scratch it. At first itching will disappear and feel comfortable. But a few moments later, you will feel pain in the place that was previously itchy due to scratching.
Well, because pain arises, the body naturally secretes serotonin. The goal is to reduce the pain that is felt. However, not only does it regulate pain, serotonin also gives a sense of "satisfaction" when scratching. So, the more serotonin that results from pain, the more you want to scratch. While, with you scratching, the pain will continue to arise.
Be careful the skin becomes injured if it is scratched continuously
You keep scratching not because of the sensation that feels good, but the itching is endless. Because of the increasing itching, you will certainly continue to scratch the part of the skin until it feels lost. But too often and hard you scratch the surface of the skin will only make the wound and irritation. Irritated skin, of course, will feel sore and painful.
Then how to stop scratching the itch?
Even though it still feels itchy, but if the skin is irritated you should stop scratching. Here's a way to stop scratching skin that has been injured but still itchy:
- Compress the itchy skin with a cloth soaked in cold water.
- Also make sure your nails are always short, not long.
- If you are at home, you can immediately take a shower with warm water to relax and the itching diminishes.
- Find out what causes the symptoms of the itchy skin. If it is caused by food allergies, then avoid consuming these types of foods.
