Why is scratching so pleasurable

In order to dull the pain that comes from scratching, your brain releases that feel-good dose of serotonin. In fact, some people living with intensely itchy skin conditions like lichen planus commonly describe scratching an itch as straight-up orgasmic, he says. While the initial mood boost feels great, it also ironically leads to more itchiness, says Dr. Basically, serotonin betrays you by leaping over from pain-sensing nerve cells to those that raise the intensity of your itch.

A simple fix: Stop the itch at the source by finishing off your back scratch with a moisturizing cream , ideally one that contains hydrating ingredients like jojoba oil, dimethicone, glycerin, or shea butter, per the American Academy of Dermatology Association AAD. Your skin barrier will thank you, and you still get the good feeling from scratching the itch. Having an itch is an intense and frustrating experience - especially if scratching just makes it worse.

But there are certain disorders that actually result in people itching uncontrollably without relief. In one case study, a woman had such an itchy scalp she scratched through to her brain. So how do these disorders originate? It all comes back to why we itch in the first place, as this video from It's Okay To Be Smart explains.

The itch sensation is technically known as pruritus, and it's thought to have evolved as a way to protect skin - our largest organ - from parasites and build-up of dead cells. Image Credit: iStock. Tags Scratching My Head serotonin. See all articles by Devrupa. Latest Science articles. Early To Rise. Scientists believe Jharkhand's Singhbhum region was exposed to air over 3. By Devrupa Rakshit. This finding is an astonishing milestone in our search for life, raising questions about the evolution of the universe.

By Rohitha Naraharisetty. Threat Lurks Underneath. The finding is a reminder of how disruptive the pandemic has been to nature, and how the threat to the ecosystem continues to loom large. The reason for difference in itching pleasurable may lie in the way that sensory nerves are distributed throughout the body, the researchers say. Pass it on: Scratching your ankle may feel better than scratching your arm. Find us on Facebook. Live Science.