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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

PITTSBURGH — When you feel that irresistible urge to scratch an itch, you’re activating an evolutionary defense system. New research from the University of Pittsburgh reveals a fascinating paradox: ...

This is Explainer, a column that answers questions we all have (or should have). Anyone with skin knows the feeling of having a bad itch that won’t go away. Whether it’s a mosquito bite, hives, or ...

Scientists have uncovered a hidden “stop-scratching” signal in the nervous system that tells your brain when enough scratching is enough. The discovery centers on a molecule called TRPV4, which acts ...

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 ...