Reuters :
Oh, it brings such blessed relief and now scientists can tell you why -- scratching an itch temporarily shuts off areas in the brain linked with unpleasant feelings and memories.
"Our study shows for the first time how scratching may relieve itch," Dr. Gil Yosipovitch, a dermatologist at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, said in a statement.
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Yes, well...that dog probably needs its anal glands expressed.
If that's your itch problem, go see a vet.
A skooching dog. Funny.
Gotta love that picture.
Also, I think that other sensations override the itch sensation when you scratch. That is why people scratch until it bleeds. The pain is better than the itch.
This study merely looks at the brain's response. I think the scratch response developed due to parasites and insects. Obviously, a swipe would take care of them.
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First Posted: 02- 1-08 10:54 AM | Updated: 03-28-08 02:45 AM