4 Why Do I Itch

WHY DO I ITCH? WHY DO I?

Do You Feel Itchy? Some itches make your skin feel very hot. Have you ever had an itchy feeling on your skin that you really, really needed to scratch? The itch could be on your arm, your leg, or maybe even your head! You can feel itchy anywhere on your body. But where do itchy feelings come from? An itch might feel like a bug crawling on your skin.

What makes You Itch? Many things can make you itch. Your skin could be itchy because you have an allergy to something. Sunburns can cause itchy skin too. Sunburns look pink or red and can be very painful! An itch can be very annoying, but it is actually a message. The itch gives important health information to your brain.

Instant messages Information comes to your brain from all parts of your body. Your skin takes in information about what it touches. It sends this information to the brain. Your skin has many layers. Scratching is done on the protective top layer. The information travels through parts of your body called nerves. A bunch of nerves called the spinal cord carries the information to the brain. If the information tells your brain about an itch, your brain tells you to scratch. Your skin protects everything inside your body from harmful things such as the cold and germs.

Itches and Scratches Start at Step 1 at the bottom of the page and follow the itch! STEP 1: When something tickles you, such as a feather, your skin feels it. STEP 2: Your skin sends information about what it feels through nerves inside your body. STEP 3: The information is passed on to your spinal cord STEP 4: When the information reaches your brain, it tells you to scratch.

Scratch Attack When you scratch the itch, your skin tells your brain that something hurts. Your brain focuses on the pain of the scratch instead of on the itch. This helps you stop thinking about the itch. Scratching can sometimes make you feel better. Scratching feels good at first. But sometimes, scratching can make the itch feel even worse. Too much scratching might even make you bleed. Tell your parent or caregiver if you have an itch that won't stop itching.