Why Does It Itch?
With eczema comes some degree of itching. There are various reasons why eczema causes itching, some of which includes:
Flare-ups and chemical mediators
When a person has an eczema flare-up there is usually a trigger in the interactive network between the immune system, the nervous system, and the skin. Flare-ups cause the skin to become sore, red, and inflammation, which causes itching.
A variety of chemical mediators affect inflammation, including substance-P, which is a neuropeptide. With inflammation comes and increased blood flow which also contributes to itching.
Chemical itch mediators [3] are substances in the body that transfer messages. Chemical mediators act on nerve endings in the upper layer of the skin or indirectly through cells that affect itching.
Researchers have been able to identify several chemical itch mediators in eczema, most common if which is the substance-P.