Why does scratching a mosquito bite feel good

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Dogs, cats, bears, birds, squirrels and humans all have to scratch themselves sometimes. In fact, just about all animals do! But why? What is an itch and why does scratching make it go away? To help us answer this burning question, we turn to our friends at Farmer’s Almanac.

Have you ever had an itch that just wouldn’t go away? The feeling would keep returning no matter how many times you scratched. You may have heard that scratching it will only make the itch worse - which can be true.

There are many causes of itching - mosquito bites, rashes, allergies, sunburns and more. Sometimes even reading about itching can cause your body to feel the need to scratch. An itch is your skin's way of telling the brain that there is something wrong with an area. See, your skin is covered with little receptors that take in information of the surrounding area. It’s a warning system telling the rest of your body that something is hot, sharp or possibly dangerous. 

When you feel the urge to itch, it’s because these receptors are sending that message to your brain. So, when you take your fingernails and scratch the surface of your skin you are temporarily damaging these receptors which cause your brain to send pain-relieving chemicals to the area (one such natural chemical is serotonin which creates feelings of happiness). 

That’s why it feels good to scratch. On one hand, you are damaging the things that are telling your brain about the itch so they can no longer send that signal, and on the other hand, you are getting a rush of serotonin. 

But be careful! You don’t want to scratch too much, or you could damage your skin and even cause bleeding. A better way to stop the itchy feeling is to rub the area or even give it a light slap. That will help turn off the receptors telling your brain to scratch without actually damaging the skin itself. After all, your skin is your first line of defense against germs and so when you scratch it with your fingernails you are making it more likely something bad can get inside.

So, the next time you feel the need to scratch, think about what is happening and why it may feel good to use your fingernails, but also why you should think again.

Looking for more Never Stop Asking "Why?" questions? Catch up on all of the past "Why's" on the blog!

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Despite all the steps we take to protect ourselves from mosquitoes, they still seem to find their way to us. So, what happens when a mosquito bites and why are they so itchy?

When a mosquito bites you, it doesn’t just help itself to some of your blood — it also kindly gives you some of its spit in return. It’s this saliva that’s responsible for the irritating itch of a mosquito bite, thanks to a concoction of proteins found in it that people are slightly allergic to.

Their saliva contains an anticoagulant (blood thinner) and proteins.

The proteins are foreign substances that trigger the body’s immune system. To fight them the body’s immune system releases histamine, a compound that helps white blood cells get to the affected area. Histamine is what causes the itchiness, inflammation, and swelling.

WHY DO MOSQUITOES BITE?

Only female mosquitoes feed on blood because it’s required for egg development.

The female mosquito will start to feed after landing on a person’s skin. Her mouthparts contain sharp bristles and tubes. The bristles slice a hole in the skin, which allows the female mosquito to probe in the tissue until it strikes a small blood vessel, or capillary. Then two tubes are inserted into the blood vessel or capillary, with saliva flowing through one tube, and the person’s blood being sucked up through the other. The saliva acts as an anticoagulant (blood thinner) that allows blood to flow more easily. The proteins contained in the saliva cause the human immune system to react in the form of uncomfortable itching.

HOW LONG DO MOSQUITO BITES LAST?

Many people get bitten by mosquitos each year, but bites can affect everyone differently.

Sometimes if a person is bitten for the first time they won’t have a response. This is because their body hasn’t formulated a response to the foreign invader. And some people may not notice bites at all. Others may build up a tolerance over time.

A mosquito bite can last for hours to a few days. The length of a mosquito bite and its symptoms vary depending on the size of the bite and the person’s immune system. Itching or scratching the bite can increase the length of time it lasts.

WHY DO MOSQITO BITES ITCH MORE AFTER YOU SCRATCH THEM?

When you scratch a mosquito bite, this causes the skin to become even more inflamed. Since inflammation causes your skin to itch, you can get into a cycle where scratching will cause even more of an itchy sensation. In addition, by continuing to scratch you run the risk of breaking the skin and causing an infection, leading to even more of an itch.

MOSQUITO BITE RELIEF

The Centers for Disease control has remedies and other information here.

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