Scratching activates mast cells that release histamine and substance P, creating a prolonged itch-scratch cycle that worsens ...

WASHINGTON — You’ve likely heard it since childhood: Don’t scratch that bug bite or rash, you’ll make it worse. But why would ...

If scratching an itch feels good why is it bad for you? - Ignore a mosquito bite and the itch is ‘gone in five or 10 minutes ...

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 ...

Scratching an itch can bring a contradictory wave of pleasure and misery. A mouse study on scratching, reported in the Jan. 31 Science, fleshes out this head-scratching paradox and could point out ...

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 ...

What’s common between a scratchy sweater, a mosquito bite, and poison ivy? A brush with any of them guarantees an itchy spot on the skin. Scratching that itch is extremely tempting because of how ...