Nerves may provide relief to itch

Scratch an itch and you get ... aaaaaah. Now scientists have watched spinal nerves transmit that relief signal to the brain in monkeys, a possible step toward finding new treatments for persistent itching in people.

More than 50 conditions can cause serious itching, including AIDS, Hodgkin's disease and the side effects of chronic pain treatment, said Glenn J. Giesler, Jr, a neuroscientist at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Some terminal cancer patients even cut back on pain medication just to reduce the itch, he said.

Scratching can lead to serious skin damage and infections in people with chronic itching, he said. So scientists want to find ways for such people to relieve their distress "without tearing up their skin", he said.