Question: Why do we itch?
Answer: No one really knows for sure. There are many theories about why this occurs though. Certain cutaneous(in the skin) nerve endings have been shown to be associated with itching, and can be stimulated by both endogenous and exogenous pruritic stimuli. This by no means accounts for all itching, however, as many pathological conditions can cause itching. The most interesting of which, in my opinion, is congestive heart failure. Congestive Heart Failure(CHF) is a condition in which the left ventricle of the heart(which normally takes blood from the left atrium and pumps it out through the aorta to the body)fails to pump properly. This causes a back up of blood flow and a build up of pressure in the heart, pulmonary circulation, and venous return to the right atrium. These things then cause a massive increase in blood pressure, as well as a decrease in oxygen perfusion of the peripheral tissues. For some reason, CHF also causes people to itch like crazy.
I wish I could give a more definitive answer...maybe something will be discovered soon and I will learn about it in immunology next quarter.
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More medical questions: what is actually happening when you pop your knuckles? What is in a blister?
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