Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: DoctorBeaver on 27/01/2009 23:17:46

Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 27/01/2009 23:17:46: I had an itch on my arm today. I started scratching it and it moved. I scratched the new place and it moved again. I ended up chasing the damned thing up & down my arm.

I've noticed that before but never really thought about it. So why does it happen?
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 27/01/2009 23:25:50: That is wierd, I must say I have never noticed this. Some kind of allegic reaction??
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 27/01/2009 23:28:01: Doubtful. I've not cme across anything I'm allergic to apart from children and Belgians.
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:07:02: What? Like literally up and down your arm? How much movement are we looking at here? 5cm? 10cm? 20cm?
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 00:25:56: Hopping around all over my forearm. Every time I scratched it jumped to somewhere else. I've had that sort of thing happen a few times.
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:27:10: Jumped? How far?
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 00:28:05: Difficult to say. Smetimes right next to where I was scratching, other times further away.
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:30:01: Is it a big itch or a small itch?
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 00:31:41: I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition!

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jumpstation.ca%2Frecroom%2Fcomedy%2Fpython%2Fimages%2Fspain.gif&hash=3c11832ca750d8415fba0f0664e7b14a)
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:34:16: How about this speculation: You scratched it too hard so the yuckky stuff inside comes out and gets onto your fingers, then your fingers spreads the yuckky stuff over your skin and another itch forms?
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:39:08: Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 00:31:41
I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition!

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jumpstation.ca%2Frecroom%2Fcomedy%2Fpython%2Fimages%2Fspain.gif&hash=3c11832ca750d8415fba0f0664e7b14a)
Who? [???][???]
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 00:48:58: Quote from: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:39:08
Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 00:31:41
I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition!

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jumpstation.ca%2Frecroom%2Fcomedy%2Fpython%2Fimages%2Fspain.gif&hash=3c11832ca750d8415fba0f0664e7b14a)
Who? [???][???]

Sorry, I forgot you're a colonial [:P]

Have you never heard of Monty Python's Flying Circus? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python's_Flying_Circus)? The Spanish Inquisition (http://people.csail.mit.edu/paulfitz/spanish/script.html) was a classic sketch.

http://www.thenagain.info/WebChron/westeurope/SpanInqui.html (http://www.thenagain.info/WebChron/westeurope/SpanInqui.html)
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 00:49:36: Quote from: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:34:16
How about this speculation: You scratched it too hard so the yuckky stuff inside comes out and gets onto your fingers, then your fingers spreads the yuckky stuff over your skin and another itch forms?

Nope. No yuckky stuff
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:51:00: Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there!
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:52:34: It could be some microbe thingie!
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 00:52:43: I'd see it if it got on my fingers.
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 00:53:19: Quote from: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:52:34
It could be some microbe thingie!

Blody quick-moving microbe. It must be on a bike!
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:53:42: No, it is stuck to your fingers!
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:56:06: Do you have any idea how the itch got there in the first place? Mosquito? Fleas?
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: OldDragon on 28/01/2009 01:06:19: Doc B, I get exactly the same problem with those pesky itches, and have always put it down to some sort of inter-nerve connections. A chap who was into foot massage/reflexology once went into a long explanation of this phenomena, but lost me somewhere along the line. He was giving me a reflexology session at the time and I fell asleep on him... well, not exactly 'ON' him, but you get my drift. [;D]
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 01:08:53: Quote from: OldDragon on 28/01/2009 01:06:19
Doc B, I get exactly the same problem with those pesky itches, and have always put it down to some sort of inter-nerve connections. A chap who was into foot massage/reflexology once went into a long explanation of this phenomena, but lost me somewhere along the line. He was giving me a reflexology session at the time and I fell asleep on him... well, not exactly 'ON' him, but you get my drift. [;D]

So it's not just me... PHEW!
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 01:09:15: Quote from: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 00:56:06
Do you have any idea how the itch got there in the first place? Mosquito? Fleas?

Nothing like that. It just started.
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 28/01/2009 01:15:11: Alright, well I'm out of my depth! [:D]
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: OldDragon on 28/01/2009 10:57:07: Couldn't think of the word I wanted last time, but the theory the reflexologist had about itches was that they (the itch sites) were connected via the meridian lines... or something like that. [;D]
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 17:42:28: Quote from: OldDragon on 28/01/2009 10:57:07
Couldn't think of the word I wanted last time, but the theory the reflexologist had about itches was that they (the itch sites) were connected via the meridian lines... or something like that. [;D]

I was wondering if it was to do with inter-connected nerves.
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: Karen W. on 28/01/2009 19:11:00: I get this all the time on my upper arms and my back usually starting around my lef shoulder blade area.. actually just above there...

I think Neil started a thread...... something about why one scratch begats aother etc..... something like that.
Title: Why do itches move?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 28/01/2009 19:26:19: Quote from: Karen W. on 28/01/2009 19:11:00
I think Neil started a thread...... something about why one scratch begats aother etc..... something like that.

That wouldn't surprise me. Neil enjoys a nice bit of begatting.