Health Boards
Tue-04-01-2022, 16:14 PM
How can scratching be bad when it feels so good?
I remember the times our dogs had a "hot spot" they would lick and nibble until medication healed the spots and how we would try to get them to not lick and nibble the spots. My cognitively disabled brother would scratch his itches, sometimes until they became infected, and we would be frustrated with him for scratching.
But now. . . .
I understand how it feels to have relentless itching and the need to scratch. It does help to take the mind off the itching, such as being out of the house does. It's become habit to scratch my legs while on a phone call at home. Maybe because phone calls are usually stressful, relating to my brother's care.
On New Year's Day, Daughter had borrowed Former Husband's car to travel in Seattle. She's an inexperienced driver in her early 20's. She was three hours late in returning, and it had become dark with the roads freezing over. Son called me, worried about her on the icy roads, worried because she wasn't answering her phone or texts. Former Husband called me with same worries. My legs became a'flamed, the itching intensified.
I knew the friends she was visiting and their moms from Daughter's high school years. I texted. I called. I scratched and scratched and scratched.
Daughter arrived home shortly after I was brought into this story. She was safe. She experienced driving in the ice and learned from it. She and her dad need to improve their communication. But that's on them, now. My legs are sore. Maybe the scratching was harmful.
To immediately relieve the itching, sometimes a moisturizing cream helps. Sometimes a cold, wet wash cloth.
I remember the times our dogs had a "hot spot" they would lick and nibble until medication healed the spots and how we would try to get them to not lick and nibble the spots. My cognitively disabled brother would scratch his itches, sometimes until they became infected, and we would be frustrated with him for scratching.
But now. . . .
I understand how it feels to have relentless itching and the need to scratch. It does help to take the mind off the itching, such as being out of the house does. It's become habit to scratch my legs while on a phone call at home. Maybe because phone calls are usually stressful, relating to my brother's care.
On New Year's Day, Daughter had borrowed Former Husband's car to travel in Seattle. She's an inexperienced driver in her early 20's. She was three hours late in returning, and it had become dark with the roads freezing over. Son called me, worried about her on the icy roads, worried because she wasn't answering her phone or texts. Former Husband called me with same worries. My legs became a'flamed, the itching intensified.
I knew the friends she was visiting and their moms from Daughter's high school years. I texted. I called. I scratched and scratched and scratched.
Daughter arrived home shortly after I was brought into this story. She was safe. She experienced driving in the ice and learned from it. She and her dad need to improve their communication. But that's on them, now. My legs are sore. Maybe the scratching was harmful.
To immediately relieve the itching, sometimes a moisturizing cream helps. Sometimes a cold, wet wash cloth.