‘Don’t scratch that Itch’
I used to tell this to my patients, friends, family, anyone I could get my hands on.
I’d keep drilling it in. Repeating with the conviction that I truly felt.
That is until my gentle, soft spoken husband snapped one day and said “An itch just has to be scratched. Please help me get that spot on my back” 😅
The Rattrap
The itch scratch cycle is vicious:
You itch
You scratch
You itch more
You scratch more
How to Break the Cycle?
We treat the cause of the itch.
But as long as you’re scratching (and pestering the nerves there), removing the triggering cause will not solve the problem.
I get it, it’s hard to stop.
So we work in many dimensions
- Habit reversal
- Drugs that tone down itch receptors
- Occlusion - covering up the area so you don’t scratch unconsciously
- Ice packs
- Distracting yourself
- Relaxation techniques
- Soothing the skin - with right clothes, moisturisers, and protecting it from irritants