Medical science has deciphered many of the body’s workings, down to the level of the gene, and isn’t too far from using stem cells to repair its hobbled organs. But in many ways, the human body ...

Do you feel an itch, right now, working its way down the back of your neck? Scratching temporarily relieves that itch, but can also make it worse. Now researchers at the Center for the Study of Itch ...

Scientists have long struggled to explain what actually causes the sensation of itching – now we know what to blame. Having an itch can be incredibly annoying but it actually serves an important ...

We've all had bug bites, or dry scalp, or a sunburn that causes itch. But what if you felt itchy all the time — and there was no relief? Journalist Annie Lowrey suffers from primary biliary ...

One of the greatest pleasures in life is to scratch an itch — in both the real and figurative sense. Although scratching an itch provides immediate (albeit temporary) relief, it may actually trigger ...

For millions of Britons it is one of the most frustrating – even distressing – health problems, yet one rarely spoken about. Chronic itching, or pruritus, affects at least one in six adults, and for ...

University of Oxford provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK. Having an itch can be incredibly annoying but it actually serves an important function, protecting us from damage to our skin.