ELI5: Why do certain itches feel INSANELY pleasurable to scratch, like you never want to stop, while others are just ‘meh’?

r/

ELI5: Why do certain itches feel INSANELY pleasurable to scratch, like you never want to stop, while others are just ‘meh’?

Comments

  1. Lina_Lush_10 Avatar

    It’s a scratch-and-win situation! Some itches tap into nerve endings that link pain and pleasure like a secret club. When you scratch just right, your brain throws a mini party with dopamine snacks. Others? Just RSVP ‘meh’ and ghost the sensation. Truly, not all itches are created itch-qual!

  2. GM-hurt-me Avatar

    It’s an evolutionary advantage to make scratching an itch pleasurable . You are removing the irritant, be it poisonous plant matter, venomous bug or just simply something that would create a skin irritation if left to its own devices.

    The fact some feel better than others has been researched and confirmed but WHY that is, i.e. why evolution hasn’t created them equal, nobody has managed to find out yet

  3. InspectionHeavy91 Avatar

    Some itches hit the brain’s “ohhh yeah” button when scratched, others barely tap it. It’s all in which nerves are involved.

  4. Lethalmouse1 Avatar

    Most good feeling is a form of displeasure and release. 

    The more itchy the more release. 

    Some itches that are meh, ime are the ones that go away right at scratch, while the ones that you have to scratch longer are the good feeling ones. But a lot of the latter also do that thing where it barely itches and then when you touch it, it itches more, so you’re ramping up the displeasure and then naturally getting more release.