# Pain v. itch

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pain-v-itch/38976>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 30, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pain-v-itch/38976 "2000-10-30T21:40:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![katie1341](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/91b2a8/32.png) [@katie1341](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katie1341)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pain-v-itch/38976/1 "2000-10-30T21:40:47Z")

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I understand why we feel pain- it lets us know that something is wrong physically, which is especially useful if the injury is one that we can’t see. Is there a reason for an itch? And what is the difference, physiologically, between pain and an itch?

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**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pain-v-itch/38976/2 "2000-10-30T22:04:36Z")

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Now I might be wrong, but I seem to recall that an itch is an irritation of the nerves that sense touch, while pain receptors use different nerves.

Of course, I might be totally out to lunch on this one…