I was trying to tell 'dul that one should not scratch one's itches...

[conuly]

In my experience, you scratch an itch, and three more develop. When you've dealt with all of them, the first one comes back with a vengeance.

There's even a name for that first one coming back, it's so common!

Try to avoid the 'itch-scratch cycle'
The itch-scratch cycle is where scratching causes more itching - which causes more scratching - which causes more itching - etc. So, if you scratch, it may make the itch worse. So, apart from any other treatment, try not to scratch if at all possible. Keep your nails cut short. Consider wearing cotton gloves at night to stop scratching in your sleep.

Thank you, Google!

It's hard, but the only way to actually get rid of an itch is to think about something else and ignore the itch completely. If that really doesn't work, you have to treat the itch properly (with medicine or lotion or whatever) and *then* ignore it.

And not type up an entry on itching, because now I'm itching all over. Ow.

Comments

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Great, now I itch, too.

Don't read entries about it, either.

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

About ten or so years ago I had a condition called neural dermatitis. It was basically constant itching caused by scratching a previous itch too much -- mosquito bites, probably. Let's see if I can remember the explanation the doctor gave. Something like, I scratched so much that my skin got used to the scratching and that made me itch even more. So in conclusion, that is why you shouldn't scratch an itch. Which, of course, is what I am doing now because I am thinking about itching!

[ankhorite.livejournal.com]

I go for the Benadryl ointment immediately. I get giant welts from mosquitoes, and have a history of scratching them raw, and that's no fun...

[adina77.livejournal.com]

now I feel all itchy..hehehe :P

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Great, now I itch, too.

Don't read entries about it, either.

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

About ten or so years ago I had a condition called neural dermatitis. It was basically constant itching caused by scratching a previous itch too much -- mosquito bites, probably. Let's see if I can remember the explanation the doctor gave. Something like, I scratched so much that my skin got used to the scratching and that made me itch even more. So in conclusion, that is why you shouldn't scratch an itch. Which, of course, is what I am doing now because I am thinking about itching!

[ankhorite.livejournal.com]

I go for the Benadryl ointment immediately. I get giant welts from mosquitoes, and have a history of scratching them raw, and that's no fun...

[adina77.livejournal.com]

now I feel all itchy..hehehe :P