Rub Don’t Scratch That Itch

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/esSmr5c9N-I   Neurobiologists and dermatologists at the University of Miami and Harvard warn that scratching to relieve an itch may be overkill.  They base that recommendation on their analyses of mice with skin itching triggered by injection of chemicals including capsaicin and chloroquine.   The data demonstrate that rubbing and stroking initially increase activity of nerves cells that tell you you’re itchy but nerve activity decreases significantly after you stop the rubbing.  Scratching produces similar neuronal responses but also leads to tissue damage, release of inflammatory mediators, and secondary itchiness.   The lesson to be learned: go gently and rub rather than scratch the itchy site.  More is less.  For instant medicinal relief, rub on over-the-counter Sarna.   https://www.jneurosci.org/content/early/2020/09/03/JNEUROSCI.0091-20.2020   #itch #rub #scratch